What It Means: LSU Football Quarterback, Former Four-Star Prospect to Enter Portal

LSU signal-caller Rickie Collins will enter the Transfer Portal, but what is the current state of the quarterback room in Baton Rouge?

Nov 25, 2023; Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA; LSU Tigers quarterback Jayden Daniels (5) and quarterback Rickie Collins (10) during warmups before the game against the Texas A&M Aggies at Tiger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-Imagn Images / Stephen Lew-Imagn Images

Brian Kelly and the LSU coaching staff will utilize the next few months reconstructing the roster through both the high school ranks and NCAA Transfer Portal.

The program has already seen a handful of players reveal their intentions to depart Baton Rouge with the 2024 regular season in the rearview mirror.

Now, Kelly and Co. are set to begin evaluations in the Transfer Portal, but a significant topic continues stealing headlines: What happens in LSU's quarterback room?

What's the current state of the room? Will Garrett Nussmeier return to Baton Rouge? Who will the program add?

A look into the LSU signal-callers and what's next for the program:

The Transfer: Rickie Collins

LSU quarterback Rickie Collins will enter the NCAA Transfer Portal after two seasons in Baton Rouge, 247 Sports' Chris Hummer reported the news on Sunday.

The redshirt-freshman appeared in three games this season where he tallied 35 total yards on five passing attempts. He also logged 18 yards on four carries.

In 2023, Collins appeared in only one game during his true freshman campaign where he completed both of his passing attempts for 19 yards.

Collins utilized 2023 as a redshirt year during his first season with the LSU program.

The Louisiana native was a four-star prospect out of high school after lighting it up at Baton Rouge (La.) Woodlawn High. Collins was a Top 20 quarterback in America.

During his recruiting process, Collins was originally committed to the Purdue Boilermakers before flipping his pledge to the LSU Tigers prior to his senior campaign.

A season ago, Heisman Trophy winning quarterback Jayden Daniels discussed his relationship with Collins and his future ahead:

“Rickie Collins? I treat him like my little brother,” Daniels said. “Just seeing him be able to grow day in and day out. Coming in as a true freshman. Trying to just learn how to live on his own, even though he’s from Baton Rouge, but it’s different living on your own. Just how to maneuver and how to treat things professionally? (It’s) how tight we are.”

As for head coach Brian Kelly, he highlighted the development ahead for Collins:

“Rickie’s got to continue to develop because kind of what you said, when you only have three quarterbacks on scholarship, that third quarterback is so crucial for you in its development,” Kelly said.

“I’d say that I’m really pleased with the development of Daniels and Nussmeier and Rickie is kind of — we’re really pushing him hard to continue his trajectory because when you have just three, he’s in the mix, right?”

The LSU Tigers will await a decision from redshirt-junior quarterback Garrett Nussmeier as he weighs his options. He'll either enter the 2025 NFL Draft or return to Baton Rouge for a fifth season with the program.

The Current Quarterback Room:

- Garrett Nussmeierr (Redshirt-junior)
- AJ Swann (Junior)
- Colin Hurley (Freshman)

The Question: Will Nussmeier Return or Go Pro?

LSU head coach Brian Kelly hopes his starting signal-caller remains in the purple and gold for one more season.

“I’m hopeful that (Nussmeier’s) gonna make a decision that he comes back. He has not told me that he is but I’m hopeful that he makes that decision. If he does, I think it’s going to put our program in a really good position,” Kelly said last week.

For Nussmeier, he reiterated on Saturday night that he is yet to make his move:

"I have not decided about that. I have not had discussions, any conversations I wanted to leave that until after the season. I didn't want to go over that. I can't really tell you where I'm at right now or what I think," Nussmeier said.

"I know that I love being here at LSU, I know I love this team, this school, this organization, and this fanbase. I'll get into those conversations probably early this week and try and figure everything out from there."

During LSU's six-game winning streak, Nussmeier's stock was soaring. He was a player firmly in the Heisman Trophy conversation while earning interest as a 1st Round 2025 NFL Draft pick.

Then, LSU dropped three consecutive games with scouts beginning to feel as though Nussmeier needed more reps under his belt, improvement in his decision-making and another season in college.

Despite this, he remains a top-five quarterback on most 2025 NFL Mock Draft Boards heading into the offseason.

LSU will likely compensate Nussmeier well on the NIL front in hopes of getting him back to Baton Rouge, but it'll certainly be a decision LSU fans will sit back and wait to hear.

The 2025 Target: Top 10 Quarterback Bryce Baker

Kernersville (NC) four-star quarterback Bryce Baker has become a hot commodity on the recruiting trail over the last two weeks with the recent news of North Carolina head coach Mack Brown being fired.

Baker, a North Carolina pledge, has been locked in with the program since June of 2023, but the recent news of a head coaching change has the Top 100 prospect reevaluating his options.

Now, Brian Kelly and his LSU staff have been in touch with Baker, a source confirmed, but will be fighting off several programs down the stretch.

On3 Sports' Steve Wiltfong reported that Baker took a trip to Penn State last weekend for a visit with the Nittany Lions in their regular season finale against Maryland.

But the coveted signal-caller is simply weighing his options down the stretch. Baker is still committed to the Tar Heels and will be awaiting a decision on who the next head coach will be.

"Bryce remains 100% committed to UNC and hopes his future college football days will be spent in Chapel Hill," Baker's father Mike said to Rivals. "He has a great relationship with Coach Chip Lindsey who he hopes will be on the coaching staff of the new incoming head coach and who has been an incredible mentor, regardless of the uncertainty surrounding his status following Coach Brown’s departure.

"That said, Bryce may explore visits to other universities to ensure he has options, just in case the new coaching staff does not have him in their plans."

Baker's father was blunt in what the future holds: "The first message is the one that is the most important which is Bryce is still 100% committed to Carolina but exploring options in case new coaching staff has other plans at the QB position," he said to Rivals.

Now, Baker has revealed he will not be signing during the Early Signing Period while North Carolina makes a coaching hire, but that leaves room for LSU to remain in contact down the stretch.

LSU, Penn State and holding true to his North Carolina pledge appear to be the three options here.

The Likely Move: Transfer Portal Quarterback

LSU will likely add a quarterback via the NCAA Transfer Portal, sources tell LSU Tigers On SI, with the program looking to add a veteran to the mix.

Nussmeier currently has the keys to the car, but with struggles down the stretch, it wouldn't come as a surprise to see Brian Kelly and Co. bring in another player to compete for the starting job to push Nussmeier. He also has a decision of his own to make whether he returns or goes pro.

It's clear Kelly has a "type" in the Transfer Portal: Players with Louisiana ties.

How will Kelly and Co. approach the quarterback position in the Transfer Portal? Will the program go national in order to secure talent? Time will tell, but one thing is certain, LSU will add another quarterback this offseason.

More LSU News:

Paul Finebaum: LSU, Brian Kelly in a "Really Bad Spot" Moving Forward

LSU Dishes Out Offer to No. 1 Quarterback in America

Nick Saban Calls LSU Quarterback Garrett Nussmeier a "Sleeper" Ahead of 2024 Season

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Follow Zack Nagy on Twitter: @znagy20 and LSU Tigers On SI: @LSUTigersSI for all coverage surrounding the LSU program.