Trinidad Chambliss has turned his final college season into a draft elevator ride.
What started as a case for middle-round developmental value has changed fast at Ole Miss, where the quarterback’s return for a special sixth season of eligibility has put him on a much bigger stage. Through three games in 2026, he has helped the Rebels open 3-0 and put himself squarely in the Heisman Trophy conversation.
The performances have been loud. Ole Miss has faced opponents that have done a decent job slowing a running game headlined by first-round talent Kewan Lacy, but Chambliss has still carved up two ranked teams. He opened with a strong showing against Louisville and then delivered the kind of outing that can change a quarterback’s draft outlook, helping the Rebels slip past former coach Lane Kiffin and LSU in Week 3.
That’s why his name is now climbing first-round boards. The jump is not just about production, either.
Chambliss has been accurate downfield against quality competition, and that will get another test when Ole Miss heads to Florida for a Week 4 SEC matchup on Saturday at 3:30 p.m. ET on ABC.
If Chambliss had stayed in the draft cycle last year, he was looking at a middle-round developmental projection. Instead, he’s forcing a much bigger conversation now: first-round floor, No. 1 overall ceiling.
Trinidad Chambliss NFL draft scouting report
Strengths
Chambliss has carried over the passing success he showed in 2025 and raised the efficiency even further. His completion percentage is up to 70 percent, and his yards per attempt and yards per completion remain strong at 8.4 and 13.4, respectively, even if both are a bit below the numbers from his 2025 breakout under Lane Kiffin.
The arm talent is real. He can make every throw an NFL team will ask for, and his deep-ball placement has sharpened. He’s also showing better touch underneath, which gives his passing game more layers than before.
He is a fearless improviser who can slip pressure with mobility and keep plays alive. Chambliss is not a pure running quarterback, but he is a quality athlete who knows when to scramble and how to make it count.
That ability shows up in the biggest moments, and the same goes for his leadership. He tends to rise to the moment, and that kind of clutch factor is exactly what NFL teams chase.
Weaknesses
The concerns are familiar: size and age. At 6-0 and 205 pounds, Chambliss does not have ideal pocket-passer measurables, and he is 24. That age could raise some eyebrows, though recent examples such as Bo Nix, who was 24 in 2024, and Tyler Shough, who was 25 in 2025, suggest it may not do much damage to his draft standing.
His frame will still lead some teams to hesitate at the top of the draft, and durability will remain part of the evaluation. The comparison to Bryce Young is notable in that regard, with the Panthers willing to take a similar gamble on a smaller quarterback.
Turnovers are the other thing to watch. Chambliss has already thrown two interceptions in three games this season after throwing only three in 15 starts in 2025. He has been aggressive, but he still has room to sharpen that part of his game as he continues pushing the ball downfield.
Bottom Line
Chambliss belongs in the first-round discussion, especially with several other early buzz names stumbling. Oregon’s Dante Moore, Ohio State’s Julian Sayin, LSU’s Sam Leavitt and South Carolina’s LaNorris Sellers have all taken hits, while Oklahoma State’s Drew Mestemaker and Miami’s Darian Mensah are also in the mix behind Texas’ Arch Manning.
For now, Chambliss has the momentum. His standout play against Leavitt helped push Ole Miss to No. 1 in the polls as the team to beat in the Power 4.
And with Heisman momentum building, his path is starting to resemble the recent quarterbacks who turned huge college seasons into No. 1 draft status - Cam Newton in 2010, Jameis Winston in 2013, Joe Burrow in 2019 and Fernando Mendoza in 2025. That kind of ceiling is now very much in play for Chambliss.
In Other News...
Lane Kiffin Turns LSU Loss Into Bigger SEC Scheduling Frustration
Lane Kiffin did not need long after LSUs Week 3 loss at Ole Miss in Oxford to steer the conversation toward the larger SEC issue he believes helped shape the night. The game was played in Oxford for the second straight year, and Kiffin, now on the LSU sideline after his old stop in Oxford, said the setup left the Tigers dealing with the kind of home-field edge and crowd noise that can tilt a big conference matchup before the ball is even snapped.
For LSU, the frustration goes beyond one difficult road trip. Kiffins comments put a familiar scheduling gripe back in the spotlight, especially in a league where venue balance can matter as much as rankings in September. The loss itself will linger, but so will the broader question of why a game with this much SEC weight ended up in the same place again, and what that means going forward for a Tigers program trying to keep pace in the conference race. [Read more 🡒]
LSU Gets A Telling Warning From Mike Elko Before SEC Showdown
With LSU heading into another SEC test, Texas A&M coach Mike Elko offered a little advance scouting on what the Tigers are walking into. He described LSU quarterback Sam Leavitt as a competitive, physical player, the kind of signal-caller who can make a defense work for every stop and keep a game uncomfortable if he gets into a rhythm.
Elko also addressed the other side of the matchup, noting that his experience against Lane Kiffins offense is limited but that he has plenty of respect for Kiffins track record and coaching ability. For LSU, it serves as a reminder that this is not just another conference game on the schedule, but one with a respected opponent on the other sideline and a quarterback drawing real attention before kickoff. [Read more 🡒]
LSU's Offense Just Raised A Bigger Sam Leavitt Concern
LSUs offense did show a real step forward on the ground against Ole Miss, piling up 172 rushing yards and getting a strong day from Dilin Jones, who finished with 106 of them. Sam Leavitt also gave the offense some useful dual-threat production, throwing for 158 yards and a touchdown while adding 63 rushing yards and another score, but the passing game still left enough room for second-guessing after a performance that featured a missed chance or two through the air.
Lane Kiffin pointed to those passing-game issues as part of the broader picture, noting that Leavitt had missed practice and stressing the need for better protection and sharper execution. The running game can buy some time and keep drives alive, but if the offense is going to take the next step, the concern is whether Leavitt and the passing attack can clean up quickly enough to match it. [Read more 🡒]