LSU Teammates Mansoor Delane And Garrett Nussmeier Practice As Chiefs For First Time

TL;DR

Garrett Nussmeier practiced with the Kansas City Chiefs for the first time, acknowledging the skill of teammate Mansoor Delane. Nussmeier expressed comfort having a familiar face in practice.

Key points

Garrett Nussmeier is a rookie quarterback for the Kansas City Chiefs.
Mansoor Delane is a cornerback on the same team.
Nussmeier expressed familiarity and comfort with Delane during practice.
Nussmeier plans to avoid targeting Delane in practice due to his skills.

Garrett NussmeierMansoor DelaneKansas City ChiefsLSU Tigers

Garrett Nussmeier now plays for the Kansas City Chiefs.

Garrett Nussmeier of the LSU Tigers plays against the Alabama Crimson Tide on Nov. 8, 2025. (Photo by Gus Stark/University Images via Getty Images}

University Images via Getty Images

As he was set to begin his first practice as a Kansas City Chiefs rookie, quarterback Garrett Nussmeier knew not to target wide receivers going against cornerback Mansoor Delane.

“I probably won’t throw his way,” Nussmeier said with a smile. “He’s a great player. It’s been cool to have him around, get to have a familiar face for sure.”

Nussmeier and Delane spent the 2025 season together at LSU.

Delane had two interceptions and 11 passes defended during the season, shining as one of the bright spots in the 7-6 season, which cost head coach Brian Kelly his job.

Nussmeier, though, was part of the reason that LSU didn’t live up to preseason expectations. After throwing for 4,502 yards, 25 touchdowns and 12 interceptions as a junior, he regressed as a senior in 2025, posting fewer than 2,000 yards and just 12 touchdowns.

“I believe everything happens for a reason and I believe what I went through last year was meant to be,” he said. “Having gone through that, I’ve grown from it and I’ve become a better player, a better person, a better man and so I’m grateful for the struggle. I’m grateful to have gone through that because I know it’s going to help me going forward.”

An oblique injury was a major reason for his dip in performance and why the quarterback, who looked like a Day One or Day Two prospect after the 2024 season, slipped to the seventh round in the 2026 NFL Draft.

“He was the odds-on favorite to be one of the top quarterbacks taken this year,” Chiefs vice president of player personnel Ryne Nutt said. “He was battling through an oblique that people didn’t know about that was bothering him the whole year. And if you’re a quarterback and you can’t torque your hips and bring your hips through, the ball maybe doesn’t come out with (as) much velocity as you want.”