Nussmeier's Spinal Cyst Caused 2025 Oblique Pain, Pre-Draft Reveal

New medical information has emerged about former Louisiana State University quarterback Garrett Nussmeier just days before the 2026 NFL Draft, revealing a spinal cyst as the underlying cause of the oblique pain that hampered his performance during the 2025 season.

The diagnosis surfaced from evaluations Nussmeier underwent at the NFL Scouting Combine, according to NFL Network insider Tom Pelissero. The cyst, located on his spine, pressed on a nerve and triggered persistent discomfort in his oblique area. This issue contributed to inconsistencies throughout the year, following a promising 2024 campaign where Nussmeier posted a top-12 QB Impact score of 81.6. In 2025, that figure dropped to 75.9, ranking him 110th among qualifying college quarterbacks and leading to him being benched late in the season.

Nussmeier has shown no symptoms since shortly before the Senior Bowl in January and has remained asymptomatic through the draft process. If the pain recurs, doctors anticipate a minimally invasive procedure that would sideline him for only two to three weeks. Medical experts, as reported by Pelissero, have confirmed no short-term or long-term risks associated with the condition,...