DFW’s top ranked QB ruled ineligible for transfer for athletic purposes
Denton Ryan four-star class of 2027 quarterback Colton Nussmeier has been ruled ineligible for transferring for athletic purposes with a 3-3 District Executive Committee vote at C.H. Collins Complex, the Dallas Morning News reported Tuesday.
Nussmeier, a talented quarterback committed to Georgia, boasted offers from premier programs including LSU, Alabama, Indiana and more. He played at Flower Mound Marcus as a junior, throwing for 1,390 yards and 12 TDs before a knee injury cut his season short.
With a tie in the DEC vote, the Prior Athletic Participation Form, which stated that Nussmeier transferred for athletic purposes, is the deciding factor. He can appeal the ruling to the University Interscholastic League.
Nussmeier, with a 6-foot-4, 195-pound frame is ranked as the No. 34 class of 2027 player in Texas and No. 12 QB in the nation. According to the Dallas Morning News, the Nussmeier family said the move to the Denton-area was for family reasons.
Denton Ryan, a three time state champion and consistent Class 5A contender, is set to play in District 3-5A Division I following the 2026 UIL realignment with these Fort Worth-area schools: Azle, Fort Worth Chisholm Trail, Keller Fossil Ridge, Saginaw. That group also includes Sherman and Denton.
In 2026, Denton Ryan tallied a 12-2 record en route to the regional finals, where Aledo advanced to the state semifinals with a dominant 43-17 victory.
Nussmeier is the second high-profile Dallas-Fort Worth player to face eligibility issues this week with North Crowley cornerback John Meredith III, the top recruit in Texas and a Euless Trinity transfer, being ruled ineligible with a 5-2 DEC vote.
Nussmeier is the son of New Orleans Saints offensive coordinator Doug Nussmeier and the brother of former Flower Mound Marcus QB Garrett Nussmeier, who played for LSU before being drafted by the Kansas City Cheifs as the 249th pick.
The Ryan Raiders will have a new head coach in 2026, with Dave Henigan stepping down. He had a 141-24 overall record and a state title win in the 2020 season. Taking the torch is former Waxahachie head coach Shane Tolleson.
This story was originally published June 16, 2026 at 11:23 AM.
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