Garrett Nussmeier, Diego Pavia's Top Landing Spots in 2026 NFL Draft

Another pair of quarterbacks went off the board on Day 2 of the 2026 NFL draft when the Arizona Cardinals selected Carson Beck and the Pittsburgh Steelers selected Drew Allar in the third round.

With Beck and Allar off the board, some of the most intriguing options remaining include LSU's Garrett Nussmeier and Vanderbilt's Diego Pavia.

Let's take a look at some of the top landing spots available for them on Day 3 of the draft.

Garrett Nussmeier

AP Photo/Gerald Herbert

Nussmeier entered the 2025 season projected to be one of the top quarterbacks in this year's draft class, but an abdominal injury limited him to nine games and tanked his stock.

Still, B/R's NFL Scouting Department ranked Nussmeier as the No. 4 quarterback in its draft big board, one spot ahead of Beck. The 24-year-old showed what he could do when he threw for 4,043 yards, 29 touchdowns and 12 interceptions in 2024.

The New York Jets are the team most in need of a franchise quarterback. After acquiring veteran signal-caller Geno Smith this offseason, the Jets are believed to be eyeing the 2027 draft to secure their next face of the franchise.

Still, the Jets would be wise to take a chance on Nussmeier. They could spend the 2026 season evaluating him while he develops behind Smith, and he could get the chance to see the field late in the year.

Selecting Nussmeier on Day 3 wouldn't hinder New York from using one of its three first-round picks on a quarterback next year, so it wouldn't hurt to bring him in for the 2026 campaign.

Diego Pavia

AP Photo/George Walker IV

Pavia is unlikely to see the field as a rookie, so he likely would be best served going to a situation where he could spend the year learning.

There were some questions about Pavia's maturity after he called out Heisman Trophy voters when he didn't win the prestigious award. He could use some lessons in channeling his moxie the right way.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers also have a brash, undersized quarterback in Baker Mayfield, who had to overcome questions about his maturity earlier in his career. Mayfield would certainly be a great mentor for Pavia to start his career.

Pavia likely wouldn't cost more than a late-round pick, so the Bucs could take a chance on him on Day 3.