Garrett Nussmeier gets nod over Ty Simpson in Joel Klatt’s preseason rankings

Garrett Nussmeier returns to Baton Rouge for his second year as LSU’s starting quarterback. Following a 9-4 season in 2024, he now gets one last opportunity to guide the Tigers toward a potential championship run in 2025.

Expectations are high for LSU, and college football analyst Joel Klatt ranked the Tigers No. 8 in his preseason list. During his podcast on Monday, Klatt explained the ranking by comparing Nussmeier to Alabama’s Ty Simpson:

"Garrett Nussmeier is their quarterback. I trust him more than Ty Simpson. I think that the urgency is there or should be for LSU and Brian Kelly."

LSU stumbled in the second half of last season, as the Tigers lost three consecutive games to Texas A&M, Alabama and Florida. In response, Brian Kelly had an active offseason by combining a solid core of returning players with what 247Sports calls the No. 1 transfer portal class in the nation.

With that momentum, Klatt made a bold statement about LSU's 2025 outlook:

"Notre Dame can't be going and playing for the national championship while LSU is not playing in the CFP. That's not why LSU paid Brian Kelly. That's as plainly as I can put it. And everybody knows it. This should be a very good team. A team that goes to the CFP."

LSU will kick off its 2025 season on Aug. 30 with a road game at Clemson.

Netflix Series reveals behind-the-scenes talks in Garrett Nussmeier’s draft decision

After Garrett Nussmeier had a breakout season in 2024, it opened the door for him to potentially be selected on Day 2 of the 2025 NFL draft. However, he ultimately chose to return to play another year for Brian Kelly.

Nussmeier's decision was influenced in part by his agent, Trace Armstrong, as highlighted in the fourth episode of "SEC Football: Any Given Saturday," a Netflix documentary series that premiered on Tuesday.

The episode featured a conversation between Armstrong and Kelly in the coach’s car, where the two discuss how best to approach Nussmeier’s situation. Armstrong acknowledged that there were varying opinions from the LSU side and wanted to find a solution that worked for everyone.

Kelly pointed out that a third-round draft pick wouldn’t be financially advantageous and suggested they review the data together to determine the best course. Armstrong noted that his priority was doing right by his client, while Kelly expressed his intention to protect players who could contribute to LSU’s success.

Fortunately, both agreed to work together to find a suitable path forward.

Now that Nussmeier is back for another season, a phenomenal performance in the 2025 season can set the stage for a strong start to his NFL career. Draft analyst Todd McShay projected him as the top pick in the 2026 NFL draft.