Why 2025 is a season of intrigue for all 16 SEC quarterbacks - ESPN

We're in store for a season of intrigue among the SEC's quarterbacks with compelling storylines everywhere you look.

New faces at new places. Budding superstars. Much awaited encores. Second chances. Players emerging from the shadows.

While there are no third-year starters returning to the same school, that doesn't mean there's a shortage of pro prospects. One NFL scout told ESPN as many as four SEC quarterbacks could go in the first round of the 2026 NFL draft, and that Florida's DJ Lagway also would be in the first-round mix if he were eligible for the draft.

We take a deeper look at all 16 of the projected starters in the SEC, breaking them into categories based on the circumstances surrounding their intrigue. Of note, eight of the 16 started their careers elsewhere.

The intrigue: After three years as a backup at LSU — which rarely happens anywhere in college football these days — Nussmeier got his shot last year and had a breakthrough season. A fifth-year senior, Nussmeier is the first player in school history to return as the starting quarterback after passing for 4,000 yards (4,052 to be exact) the previous season. In just one season as the starter, Nussmeier has made his way near the top of NFL teams' 2026 quarterback draft boards. His father, Doug, is the New Orleans Saints' offensive coordinator and a former NFL quarterback. Nussmeier is the most proven of the SEC quarterbacks and will be integral to LSU's effort to make the College Football Playoff for the first time under Brian Kelly.

Path to success: Building off what he did last season and taking care of the ball better. Nussmeier threw 29 touchdown passes, but was intercepted 12 times, with a combined five picks in losses to Texas A&M and Alabama. The