Following the departure and flip of Rivals five-star QB Bryce Underwood, I thought we should address some of the latest buzz as it pertains to LSU’s quarterback situation with the class of 2025 and beyond. I spent much of the night last night making some calls and texts trying to dig up some information from various sources and contacts and this is the latest intel I’ve got as of 7:00 AM on Friday morning.
When it comes to the 2025 class, there’s not a whole lot left and the late decision from Underwood really puts LSU’s staff at a severe disadvantage given the timing being just a few short weeks away from National Signing Day (12/4/24).
LSU was virtually all-in on landing Bryce Underwood, especially after securing his commitment. They even felt good about where they stood amid the late push from Michigan to secure the flip. There were only three other quarterbacks that the Tigers offered in the 2025 class and that was Tavien St. Clair, Julian Lewis and George Macintyre. They could certainly try and gauge flip interest among those prospects, but they’re so far behind the curve with those guys at this point I don’t see that as a viable option barring any changes. Lewis recently flipped himself from USC to Colorado, and both St. Clair and Macintyre seem content with their respective decisions at this point.
The Other Concern for the Future
While his draft stock has been a little bumpy over the last couple of weeks there’s still some growing concern (even more so now) that quarterback Garrett Nussmeier may throw his name in the mix for the 2025 NFL Draft. The LSU staff felt comfortable with where they were previously with the commitment of Underwood, but with that change, now suddenly Nussmeier’s potential departure could create more concern for the future of LSU’s quarterback position.
I’ve talked to a couple of my NFL contacts last night and early this morning and I asked the specific question “Has Nussmeier played himself out of the first round,” and the consensus was no. I was told that if he opts to enter the draft there’s still a chance that he could be an early pick, even as high as a possible first round selection.
These are direct quotes I’ve been told from NFL sources regarding Nussmeier.
“The arm talent is still there regardless of the wins and losses.”
“The biggest concerns with him are are all things that are coachable,”
I was also told that given the strength of this quarterback class which isn’t really considered a very strong draft class, it might benefit him more to take that chance and declare early as opposed to trying to play his way to a higher status next year. We’re speaking in a lot of uncertainties here, but the general consensus is that should he go pro, he’s a guy that’s going to get a lot of attention.
Where do they turn now?
Among players that they’ve actively recruited, there’s not really anyone that’s available. As I mentioned previously those guys are all relatively locked in where they are. Doesn’t mean LSU can’t try and make a push and at this point it wouldn’t hurt much, but there is a lot of ground that would have to be made up. There’s certainly some other names that aren’t committed elsewhere yet, but to this point, LSU has not been actively involved in those recruitments and a lot of those prospects are trending toward other schools as signing day approaches, not to mention the Tigers would be entering the game extremely late. Going all in on Underwood is a gamble that could untimely prove costly for this coaching staff when it comes to the 2025 class.
The Portal
After a lot of the conversations, texts and calls I’ve had last night it really feels like LSU is going to put a priority on securing a QB from the transfer portal once that window opens again and the expectation is that especially if Nussmeier elects to opt for the NFL Draft that LSU will draw a lot of interest from QB’s in the portal. But expect the Tigers to make quarterback a top priority in the transfer portal and while they could still potentially make a move on someone in the 2025 class, they could ultimately end up filling that void with a transfer portal addition and it may even be someone the staff views as a potential day one starter.
There’s going to be a lot to unpack and follow over the next couple of weeks/months, but we’ll keep you informed on the situation as it moves on.
When it comes to the 2025 class, there’s not a whole lot left and the late decision from Underwood really puts LSU’s staff at a severe disadvantage given the timing being just a few short weeks away from National Signing Day (12/4/24).
LSU was virtually all-in on landing Bryce Underwood, especially after securing his commitment. They even felt good about where they stood amid the late push from Michigan to secure the flip. There were only three other quarterbacks that the Tigers offered in the 2025 class and that was Tavien St. Clair, Julian Lewis and George Macintyre. They could certainly try and gauge flip interest among those prospects, but they’re so far behind the curve with those guys at this point I don’t see that as a viable option barring any changes. Lewis recently flipped himself from USC to Colorado, and both St. Clair and Macintyre seem content with their respective decisions at this point.
The Other Concern for the Future
While his draft stock has been a little bumpy over the last couple of weeks there’s still some growing concern (even more so now) that quarterback Garrett Nussmeier may throw his name in the mix for the 2025 NFL Draft. The LSU staff felt comfortable with where they were previously with the commitment of Underwood, but with that change, now suddenly Nussmeier’s potential departure could create more concern for the future of LSU’s quarterback position.
I’ve talked to a couple of my NFL contacts last night and early this morning and I asked the specific question “Has Nussmeier played himself out of the first round,” and the consensus was no. I was told that if he opts to enter the draft there’s still a chance that he could be an early pick, even as high as a possible first round selection.
These are direct quotes I’ve been told from NFL sources regarding Nussmeier.
“The arm talent is still there regardless of the wins and losses.”
“The biggest concerns with him are are all things that are coachable,”
I was also told that given the strength of this quarterback class which isn’t really considered a very strong draft class, it might benefit him more to take that chance and declare early as opposed to trying to play his way to a higher status next year. We’re speaking in a lot of uncertainties here, but the general consensus is that should he go pro, he’s a guy that’s going to get a lot of attention.
Where do they turn now?
Among players that they’ve actively recruited, there’s not really anyone that’s available. As I mentioned previously those guys are all relatively locked in where they are. Doesn’t mean LSU can’t try and make a push and at this point it wouldn’t hurt much, but there is a lot of ground that would have to be made up. There’s certainly some other names that aren’t committed elsewhere yet, but to this point, LSU has not been actively involved in those recruitments and a lot of those prospects are trending toward other schools as signing day approaches, not to mention the Tigers would be entering the game extremely late. Going all in on Underwood is a gamble that could untimely prove costly for this coaching staff when it comes to the 2025 class.
The Portal
After a lot of the conversations, texts and calls I’ve had last night it really feels like LSU is going to put a priority on securing a QB from the transfer portal once that window opens again and the expectation is that especially if Nussmeier elects to opt for the NFL Draft that LSU will draw a lot of interest from QB’s in the portal. But expect the Tigers to make quarterback a top priority in the transfer portal and while they could still potentially make a move on someone in the 2025 class, they could ultimately end up filling that void with a transfer portal addition and it may even be someone the staff views as a potential day one starter.
There’s going to be a lot to unpack and follow over the next couple of weeks/months, but we’ll keep you informed on the situation as it moves on.
