4-star QB Colton Nussmeier invited to Elite 11 Finals

Four-star Denton Ryan (Texas) quarterback Colton Nussmeier is bound for the Elite 11 Finals in Los Angeles next month.

Nussmeier received his invitation on Wednesday, along with Ole Miss commit Keegan Croucher, giving the event 14 of its 20 expected participants.

There are few higher honors for high school quarterbacks than being invited to the event, which will celebrate its 27th year in 2026. It brings together 20 of the country’s elite signal-callers for three days of competition and training in Los Angeles at the end of May.

UPDATED ELITE 11 FINALS ROSTER

Elite 11 alumni include college and NFL stars like Carson Palmer, Andrew Luck, Matthew Stafford, Tim Tebow, and more recently Trevor Lawrence, C.J. Stroud and Bryce Young. The list also includes his older brother, Garrett Nussmeier, who participated in the event in 2020 before signing with LSU.

Last year’s Elite 11 Finals featured 16 of the top 25 quarterbacks in the Rivals Industry Ranking, including five of the top six players at the position.

Nussmeier himself checks in as the No. 194 overall prospect and No. 16 passer in the class, as well as the No. 30 overall player in the Lone Star State. The Finals will be a chance for Nussmeier to prove he belongs among the nation’s top signal-callers.

Big offseason ahead for Nussmeier

Earlier this week, The Dallas Morning News reported that Nussmeier was leaving Flower Mound Marcus to transfer to Denton Ryan, one of the state’s premier programs.

Last season at Marcus, Nussmeier played in eight games for the Marauders and completed 100 of 167 passes for 1,390 yards, 12 touchdowns and only one interception. However, he was looking for a fresh start for his final year at the school level. And the 6-foot-3, 200-pound quarterback joins a Raiders squad that last season that won 13 games a year ago and brings back plenty of experience on the offensive side of the ball.

Ryan finished 13-2 last season and finished as the state’s No. 23 ranked team, according to the final Texas 2025 High School Football Massey Rankings.

What kind of effect, if any, it will have on his recruitment remains to be seen. LSU was considered a strong early favorite for Nussmeier, but the Tigers landed a commitment from in-state four-star Peyton Houston in September.

He recently visited Georgia, a school he has been to a number of occasions. The Bulldogs have yet to land their 2027 quarterback and could be a landing spot for the talented passer.

“What stood out to me before my visit was the atmosphere,” he told DawgsHQ. “And I love the way the coaches coach.”