The Pittsburgh Steelers hosted four different quarterbacks during the 2026 NFL pre-draft process. Steelers insider Mark Kaboly revealed this week, though, that if the team had its way, it would have had a fifth signal-caller visitor this spring — Garrett Nussmeier.
The Steelers insider explained on the Kaboly and Mack podcast that only scheduling conflicts kept Nussmeier from coming to Pittsburgh for a pre-draft visit.
“They wanted to bring Nussmeier in, but I don’t think the schedule lined up where he was able to make it here,” said Kaboly on Thursday. “I think they tried a couple of times, but just didn’t happen.
“So, you have to throw him on the list of potentials, too, in that list. Because if everything would have lined up, he would have shown up, I think.”
While Nussmeier didn’t visit Pittsburgh this spring, the Steelers did host Miami’s Carson Beck, North Dakota State’s Cole Payton, Arkansas’ Taylen Green and Penn State’s Drew Allar.
Allar visited the Steelers on the final day permitted for pre-draft visitors.
Could the Steelers Draft LSU QB Garrett Nussmeier?
GettyNFL beat reporter Mark Kaboly said on his podcast the Pittsburgh Steelers wanted to bring in LSU QB Garrett Nussmeier for a pre-draft visit.
Kaboly’s tidbit on Nussmeier is intriguing. It gives Steelers fans another mid-round quarterback to keep their eyes on in the 2026 NFL Draft.
But what the news really does, once again, is confirm the Steelers interest in signal-callers outside the first round.
NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reported with Allar’s visit this week that the team had hosted most of the top quarterbacks in the 2026 class. Based on ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr.’s 2026 signal-caller rankings, the Steelers hosted four of the top seven quarterbacks.
It becomes five if pundits want to count Nussmeier.
But the two that were missing in Pittsburgh for pre-draft visits were Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza and Alabama’s Ty Simpson.
It’s obvious why the Steelers didn’t do much research into Mendoza. It’s a foregone conclusion he will be the No. 1 pick to the Las Vegas Raiders.
Some analysts have tried to link Simpson to the Steelers this spring. But Simpson could go in the first round.
Kiper said on ESPN’s Unsportsmanlike on Thursday that he has heard the Steelers are not interested in the Alabama quarterback.
Pittsburgh’s visits could always be a smokescreen for Simpson. But at face value, the quarterbacks visits are a strong indication that if the Steelers target a signal-caller in the 2026 NFL Draft, it will be after the first round.
When Will Nussmeier Go Off the Board in the 2026 NFL Draft?
GettyPundits project former LSU quarterback Garrett Nussmeier to be a mid-round 2026 NFL Draft pick.
NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein projected Nussmeier to be a third-round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. Zierlein also compared the LSU quarterback to Drew Lock.
The Denver Broncos drafted Lock at No. 42 overall in the second round of the 2019 NFL Draft.
“Undersized pocket passer with legitimate arm talent that has not been able to make up for some flaws in his game,” wrote Zierlein. “Nussmeier is inconsistent diagnosing coverages and working through progressions, which limits his ability to counter what defenses show him.
“Teams will need to balance Nussmeier’s mistakes and durability concerns against his potential to improve on his LSU output.”
Nussmeier threw for 4,052 passing yards with 29 touchdowns and 12 interceptions during his best statistical college season in 2024. During 2025, he had 1,927 passing yards, 12 touchdowns and five interceptions in nine games.
The LSU quarterback missed four contests, including the team’s bowl game, because of an abdominal injury.
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