When it comes to the 2027 quarterback class, hope springs eternal. Especially after a 2026 class that produced two first-rounders in Fernando Mendoza and Ty Simpson, and a 2025 class that produced two in Cam Ward and Jaxson Dart, the NFL prayer is that the 2027 group of signal-callers is more like the 2024 version, when there were three taken with the first three picks, six in the top 12, and four legit NFL starters in Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels, Drake Maye, and Bo Nix. Even the relative stragglers (Michael Penix Jr. and J.J. McCarthy) haven’t run entirely out of road when it comes to their NFL potential.
Ostensibly, the 2027 class looks absolutely ridiculous from a tools and potential perspective. We could have Texas’ Arch Manning, Oregon’s Dante Moore, Ohio State’s Julian Sayin, Ole Miss’ Trinidad Chambliss, South Carolina’s LaNorris Sellers, Oklahoma State’s Drew Mestemaker, Notre Dame’s C.J. Carr, and Texas Tech’s Brendan Sorsby (depending on how Sorsby is affected by recent gambling allegations) all fighting to rest atop next year’s QB draft listings, and there are ways in which each one could do it. Not to mention the fact that there will be a surprise interloper who comes out of nowhere to show NFL potential.
That’s at least eight quarterbacks for NFL teams to consider next year. Of course, we also know that not every sure-thing prospect will ultimately become that even before he’s drafted; we’ve all seen the super-hyped guys fall down when they get hit without a plan.
The idea with this series is to evaluate each of the prominent future prospects with one eye on what they’ve already done, and the other on what they need to do in order to reach their ultimate ceiling. We continue the deep dive with Ole Miss’ Trinidad Chambliss, who fought to stay in school despite a 2025 season that had him as a more than credible NFL prospect.
Last season, Chambliss completed 294 of 448 passes (65.6%) for 3,934 yards (8.8 YPA), 22 touchdowns, three interceptions, and a passer rating of 106.9. He also ran the ball 130 times for 585 yards (4.5 YPA), eight touchdowns and three fumbles.
After that, Chambliss filed a lawsuit to contend the NCAA denying him an extra year of eligibility, and he won that case. Now that he has another developmental year before he tries the NFL on for size, what’s already on the ball, and what does he need to refine?
Let’s dive into the tape.
One of the most interesting things about Chambliss as a smaller, inherently mobile quarterback, is that he doesn’t need to leave the pocket to hit the middle of the field. Last season, when throwing to the middle of the field (directly to the middle; not middle left or middle right), Chambliss completed 46 of 70 passes for 825 yards, eight touchdowns, no interceptions, and a passer rating of 144.0.
His 44.45 EPA on such throws was the NCAA’s 11th-best (minimum 50 attempts), and it’s one of the more NFL-ready parts of his game. Teams at the next level that work their passing games over the middle of the field (or want to do so) won’t have to take leave of that notion with Chambliss as their quarterback.
Winning outside the pocket
On throws outside the pocket last season, Chambliss completed 37 of 64 passes for 500 yards, four touchdowns, one interception, and a passer rating of 97.1. Chambliss has a good sense of his own mechanics when he’s throwing on the move — the arm strength is enough for him to hit his targets when he has to throw off-platform, and when he rights his shoulders to the target, he’s capable of making some really nice downfield passes from a moving pocket.
Chambliss has learned to deal with pressure very well — in 2025, he completed 44 of 81 passes when disrupted for 649 yards, one touchdown, no interceptions, and a passer rating of 84.9. Chambliss’ yards per attempt average of 8.0 under pressure also tells you that he doesn’t automatically become Captain Checkdown when pressured. The aforementioned pocket movement helps him a lot in an NFL-conversant sense, and Chambliss has already served notice to defenses that if you blitz him, you will regret it.
Against five or more pass rushers last season, whether pressured or not, Chambliss completed 119 of 194 passes for 1,521 yards, 14 touchdowns, no interceptions, and a passer rating of 109.9, which has higher than his passer rating of 104.7 when he wasn’t blitzed.
You don’t see THAT too often. Chambliss will be relatively ready for an NFL that now looks to test quarterbacks with all kinds of stunts, games, and line movement, and he has anther year in college to refine that mastery.
Going through progressions
And while Chambliss did have the NCAA’s second-most RPO passing attempts last season with 94, behind only that Fernando Mendoza guy (who had 103 such attempts), Chambliss is similar to Mendoza in that he isn’t over-reliant on quick one-two RPO reads to get things done in the passing game.
On the kinds of throws that define the best quarterbacks at any level — the dig, corner, post, over, seam, and go routes — Chambliss completed 63 of 112 passes for 1,504 yards, eight touchdowns, one interception, and a passer rating of 121.1, which ranked fourth in the NCAA among quarterbacks with at least 100 such attempts in the 2025 season. Chambliss can read through his second and third progressions with no problem; he won’t need his NFL coaches to break him down to the studs and start all over.
As you would expect, Chambliss’ mobility extends to his ability to make important plays as a runner, whether on designed plays or scrambles. Overall, he ran the ball 130 times for 585 yards, eight touchdowns, and three fumbles. Chambliss had 15 designed QB draw runs last season, and he averaged 4.9 yards per play with a touchdown.
I wouldn’t necessarily want to put Chambliss in the teeth of NFL defensive lines too often as a pure runner at his size — his coaches will need to be judicious about such things — but the rushing ability is just as good by design as it is when the play breaks down.
- Chambliss still needs development when it comes to the timing of his throws in the design of the route concepts — he’s not always an anticipation thrower, and that can get him into trouble. The three interceptions look nice in the box score, but there were also several turnover-worthy throws last season, where he threw late into converging coverage, and it was the luck of the draw that saved him.
- The mechanics aren’t always consistent — Chambliss will get too cute at times when creating torque to throw, and he tries to do too much with his upper body. This “sticks” his lower body to the turf, and he (like most quarterbacks) can’t calculate the difference in direction and velocity when he does this.
- The arm arrogance is justified, as Chambliss can throw with authority to all levels of the field, but he will also zing the ball into obvious coverage with the presumed thought that he’s above the law, so to speak. He isn’t, and it wouldn’t take too much for his interception luck to turn in 2026, and for that to become painfully obvious.
- Chambliss doesn’t need to get outside the pocket to see the middle of the field, which is a notable attribute for any smaller quarterback, but there are times when he’ll leave the pocket when he doesn’t need to. He also doesn’t always square his shoulders to the target, which leads to other inaccuracies.
- It’s great that Chambliss can vary his velocity and ball flight on command, but there are times when he throws fastballs when off-speed pitches are required, and vice versa.
Overall, I would have placed Chambliss high on my list of 2026 quarterback prospect list had he made himself available for the draft — most likely an early second
But I would not be at all surprised if Chambliss comes out of the 2026 season higher on the 2027 QB draft list than people may imagine at this point in time.
![NFL Draft rumors on Bears name that ‘keeps coming up,’ Giants’ plans in the top-10, and more We are almost there, friends.Depending on when exactly you are reading this, the 2026 NFL Draft is just over 24 hours away. Again, we know what will happen at No. 1, which is when the Las Vegas Raiders will select quarterback Fernando Mendoza. Read SB Nation’s exclusive interview with Mendoza for more on his journey from two-star recruit to No. 1 overall draft pick.So let’s round up the latest guesses in today’s spin around the carousel of rumors.Run on offensive tackles?Could the 2026 NFL Draft see a run on offensive tackles, inside the first 15 selections?That is the scenario contemplated by ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, who shared this on social media Tuesday:Fowler is not alone in thinking that offensive linemen could be a big part of the discussion on Thursday night. His ESPN colleague Dan Graziano wrote this on Wednesday morning:I’m predicting at least seven and as many as 10 offensive linemen get picked in the first round. There’s a late-round zone loaded with teams that would love to come out of Thursday night with a new offensive lineman, including the Lions, Panthers, Steelers, Chargers, Eagles, Browns, Bears, 49ers, Chiefs and Patriots. Kansas City could even use its No. 9 pick on an offensive tackle and no one would be surprised. Baltimore could take Ioane at No. 14, if he’s there.In our most recent mock draft, we had seven offensive linemen coming off the board, right in line with Graziano’s prediction. However, the “run” on offensive tackles did not come until the 20s, with the Philadelphia Eagles taking Blake Miller at No. 23 and the Cleveland Browns adding Max Iheanachor at No. 24.But it looks like that run could happen earlier.What are the Giants thinking, redux?Ever since the New York Giants swung the big Dexter Lawrence trade, we have been trying to decipher their plans for both No. 5, and No. 10. That was a focus on Monday’s rumors roundup, and we revisit their plans here today.On Monday we discussed reporting from Connor Hughes of SNY, who mentioned Sonny Styles, Jeremiyah Love, and Caleb Downs as options at No. 5. Hughes also believes that a trade would be possible if somehow David Bailey were on the board when the Giants were on the clock at No. 5. Then at No. 10, offensive linemen come into play, as well as wide receiver Jordyn Tyson.However, Graziano notes that from what he has been told, at No. 5 “their most likely picks would be Love (if he’s still there) or Ohio State safety Caleb Downs. Multiple people have told me they believe Downs would be the Giants’ pick even ahead of linebacker Sonny Styles, Downs’ college teammate.”As for No. 10, if it is not Tyson then Graziano believes they will draft an offensive lineman.Who might that be? Graziano mentions Penn State guard Olaivavega Ioane, which is in line with a name I’ve been hearing more and more regarding that pick at No. 10. Stay tuned …Jermod McCoy’s injury concernsTennessee cornerback Jermod McCoy’s injury concerns remain a talking point as the 2026 NFL Draft approaches.According to longtime NFL Draft analyst Tony Pauline, some teams have deemed his injured knee — he missed 2025 following ACL surgery — a “degenerative” condition:Additional reporting indicates that McCoy might need an additional surgery to replace a “bone plug” used to repair a “cartilage defect” in that knee, and that the concerns are not related to the initial ACL repair:This is starting to feel like last year with Will Johnson, the cornerback who was considered a top-ten pick but fell to the Arizona Cardinals in the second round due to his own injury history.Ty Simpson still an option for the Rams?Early in mock draft season, Ty Simpson was a popular pick for the Los Angeles Rams with their pick at the end of the first round.I should know, I feel like I made that pick in more than a few mock drafts myself …But when the Rams used that pick in a trade for cornerback Trent McDuffie, it seemed to end the dreams of Simpson landing in Los Angeles to learn from Matthew Stafford and Sean McVay. Now, the Rams have just one pick in the first 60 selections — the pick they received from the Atlanta Falcons at No. 13 — and with Stafford having just put pen to paper on a new contract, getting a player that can help right away seems like the pressing need.Graziano is not so sure, and makes the case that Simpson could still be in play, whether via a trade down or even at No. 13:But as I said, the Rams don’t appear to have any crying needs for which the 13th pick could help them in their effort to win the Super Bowl at home. So, could they trade down from No. 13 and still take Simpson later in the round? Possibly. Could they just bite the bullet and take Simpson at No. 13 if they like him that much? Unlikely, but again, this is a tough team to predict.If the Rams take Simpson in the first round, they’re likely to face criticism for not finding immediate help for a win-now team with 38-year-old reigning MVP Matthew Stafford at quarterback. But would they care? This is the “F— them picks” franchise, remember? If they truly believe Simpson has the potential to be Stafford’s successor, I don’t think it’s ridiculous to think they could go ahead and take him.Add in that division-rival Arizona — which many believe is the real team to watch for Simpson — holds the 34th pick and would be a candidate to either draft him there or trade back into the first round to land him and it makes the Rams/Simpson theories a little bit spicier.Again, even Graziano says Simpson at No. 13 is “unlikely,” but the Rams are a tough team to predict this, and every, year.What about the Chicago Bears at No. 25?We have not talked about the Chicago Bears much during the run to the 2026 NFL Draft.So let’s change that a bit.Early in the draft cycle, defensive line was a popular position for the Bears to address in mock drafts. That often came in the form of pass rushers such as Missouri’s Zion Young or Clemson’s T.J. Parker, or even through defensive tackles such as Kayden MacDonald from Ohio State.Recently, safety Emmanuel McNeil-Warren has become a popular pick for them in that spot. According to consensus mock drafts as compiled by NFL Mock Draft Database, he is the most popular pick for the Bears over the past week.But one insider believes the Bears have made up their mind, and are targeting Auburn’s Keldric Faulk because of how he would fit with defensive coordinator Dennis Allen.“One name that kind of keeps coming up is a fit for Dennis Allen: Keldric Faulk from Auburn,” Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer said recently on ESPN 1000. Cowboys trading … down?In recent weeks, the idea of the Dallas Cowboys trading up in the first round to secure one of the premium defensive prospects has become a popular theory. In our most recent mock draft, for example, we had the Cowboys trading all the way up to No. 3 to pick Arvell Reese. Others believe the Cowboys would move to No. 6 in a deal with the Cleveland Browns.But is it more likely that the Cowboys move … down?That is what Graziano believes, who wrote this on Wednesday morning:I would actually say it’s more likely the Cowboys trade down from No. 20 than up from No. 12. They need a ton of help on defense and would love it if Styles, Downs or LSU cornerback Mansoor Delane fell to them at No. 12; they could get to work addressing the other positional needs at No. 20 and later. Dallas also doesn’t have a second-round pick (it belongs to the Jets from the Quinnen Williams trade), which is why I’ve been told to watch out for the Cowboys to trade down from No. 20 to try to recoup some Day 2 capital.The point about Dallas lacking a second-round pick is important. As with every draft class, there are solid prospects to be found on Day 2, players who could contribute immediately while not having the same upside as the prospects who will come off the board Thursday night. Dallas could find, for example, a pass rusher early on Day 2 if they trade back, with players like T.J. Parker, Cashius Howell, Zion Young, Malachi Lawrence, R Mason Thomas, and Gabe Jacas all expected to be second-round selections.Could the Jaguars move up?Thanks to the trade for Travis Hunter Jr. last year, the Jacksonville Jaguars do not have a pick on Thursday night.Jacksonville beat writer John Shipley, who is as plugged-in as it gets down in Duval, wrote Wednesday morning that the idea of the Jaguars trading back into the first round is not as far-fetched as one might believe.With that said, it is hard to ignore the possibility of the Jaguars moving up for a few reasons. For one, they have 11 picks this year and a projected 10 picks in 2027. Having 21 picks in that span gives the Jaguars the ammo neccesary to attempt to move back into the first, whether they would do it in one big move or via multiple trades.With four picks in the top-100, the Jaguars could find a trade package worth enticing teams. Looking at the state of the Jaguars’ roster, it is hard to say they will have 11 open spots on the 53-man roster. This isn’t to say I believe the Jaguars ultimately will do it — I think it needs to be the right set of circumstances and for specific targets.What I am saying on this, though, is to not discount the idea. It has been floated enough as a possibility outside of Jacksonville enough in recent days to at least consider it being a realistic priority.As for who the Jaguars would target via a trade back into the first round, Shipley notes that “[l]ogic says a top defender who is falling.” However, he also reminds us that head coach Liam Coen has his mind on the offense, and would “likely … not have any issues with taking a top-rated playmaker either.”The only player Shipley mentions by name in this scenario? Oregon tight end Kenyon Sadiq. #NFL #Draft #rumors #Bears #coming #Giants #plans #top10](https://i3.wp.com/platform.sbnation.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/04/gettyimages-2238133744.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&crop=0%2C13.261979166667%2C100%2C34.904013961606&w=1200&ssl=1 "NFL Draft rumors on Bears name that ‘keeps coming up,’ Giants’ plans in the top-10, and more We are almost there, friends.Depending on when exactly you are reading this, the 2026 NFL Draft is just over 24 hours away. Again, we know what will happen at No. 1, which is when the Las Vegas Raiders will select quarterback Fernando Mendoza. Read SB Nation’s exclusive interview with Mendoza for more on his journey from two-star recruit to No. 1 overall draft pick.So let’s round up the latest guesses in today’s spin around the carousel of rumors.Run on offensive tackles?Could the 2026 NFL Draft see a run on offensive tackles, inside the first 15 selections?That is the scenario contemplated by ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, who shared this on social media Tuesday:Fowler is not alone in thinking that offensive linemen could be a big part of the discussion on Thursday night. His ESPN colleague Dan Graziano wrote this on Wednesday morning:I’m predicting at least seven and as many as 10 offensive linemen get picked in the first round. There’s a late-round zone loaded with teams that would love to come out of Thursday night with a new offensive lineman, including the Lions, Panthers, Steelers, Chargers, Eagles, Browns, Bears, 49ers, Chiefs and Patriots. Kansas City could even use its No. 9 pick on an offensive tackle and no one would be surprised. Baltimore could take Ioane at No. 14, if he’s there.In our most recent mock draft, we had seven offensive linemen coming off the board, right in line with Graziano’s prediction. However, the “run” on offensive tackles did not come until the 20s, with the Philadelphia Eagles taking Blake Miller at No. 23 and the Cleveland Browns adding Max Iheanachor at No. 24.But it looks like that run could happen earlier.What are the Giants thinking, redux?Ever since the New York Giants swung the big Dexter Lawrence trade, we have been trying to decipher their plans for both No. 5, and No. 10. That was a focus on Monday’s rumors roundup, and we revisit their plans here today.On Monday we discussed reporting from Connor Hughes of SNY, who mentioned Sonny Styles, Jeremiyah Love, and Caleb Downs as options at No. 5. Hughes also believes that a trade would be possible if somehow David Bailey were on the board when the Giants were on the clock at No. 5. Then at No. 10, offensive linemen come into play, as well as wide receiver Jordyn Tyson.However, Graziano notes that from what he has been told, at No. 5 “their most likely picks would be Love (if he’s still there) or Ohio State safety Caleb Downs. Multiple people have told me they believe Downs would be the Giants’ pick even ahead of linebacker Sonny Styles, Downs’ college teammate.”As for No. 10, if it is not Tyson then Graziano believes they will draft an offensive lineman.Who might that be? Graziano mentions Penn State guard Olaivavega Ioane, which is in line with a name I’ve been hearing more and more regarding that pick at No. 10. Stay tuned …Jermod McCoy’s injury concernsTennessee cornerback Jermod McCoy’s injury concerns remain a talking point as the 2026 NFL Draft approaches.According to longtime NFL Draft analyst Tony Pauline, some teams have deemed his injured knee — he missed 2025 following ACL surgery — a “degenerative” condition:Additional reporting indicates that McCoy might need an additional surgery to replace a “bone plug” used to repair a “cartilage defect” in that knee, and that the concerns are not related to the initial ACL repair:This is starting to feel like last year with Will Johnson, the cornerback who was considered a top-ten pick but fell to the Arizona Cardinals in the second round due to his own injury history.Ty Simpson still an option for the Rams?Early in mock draft season, Ty Simpson was a popular pick for the Los Angeles Rams with their pick at the end of the first round.I should know, I feel like I made that pick in more than a few mock drafts myself …But when the Rams used that pick in a trade for cornerback Trent McDuffie, it seemed to end the dreams of Simpson landing in Los Angeles to learn from Matthew Stafford and Sean McVay. Now, the Rams have just one pick in the first 60 selections — the pick they received from the Atlanta Falcons at No. 13 — and with Stafford having just put pen to paper on a new contract, getting a player that can help right away seems like the pressing need.Graziano is not so sure, and makes the case that Simpson could still be in play, whether via a trade down or even at No. 13:But as I said, the Rams don’t appear to have any crying needs for which the 13th pick could help them in their effort to win the Super Bowl at home. So, could they trade down from No. 13 and still take Simpson later in the round? Possibly. Could they just bite the bullet and take Simpson at No. 13 if they like him that much? Unlikely, but again, this is a tough team to predict.If the Rams take Simpson in the first round, they’re likely to face criticism for not finding immediate help for a win-now team with 38-year-old reigning MVP Matthew Stafford at quarterback. But would they care? This is the “F— them picks” franchise, remember? If they truly believe Simpson has the potential to be Stafford’s successor, I don’t think it’s ridiculous to think they could go ahead and take him.Add in that division-rival Arizona — which many believe is the real team to watch for Simpson — holds the 34th pick and would be a candidate to either draft him there or trade back into the first round to land him and it makes the Rams/Simpson theories a little bit spicier.Again, even Graziano says Simpson at No. 13 is “unlikely,” but the Rams are a tough team to predict this, and every, year.What about the Chicago Bears at No. 25?We have not talked about the Chicago Bears much during the run to the 2026 NFL Draft.So let’s change that a bit.Early in the draft cycle, defensive line was a popular position for the Bears to address in mock drafts. That often came in the form of pass rushers such as Missouri’s Zion Young or Clemson’s T.J. Parker, or even through defensive tackles such as Kayden MacDonald from Ohio State.Recently, safety Emmanuel McNeil-Warren has become a popular pick for them in that spot. According to consensus mock drafts as compiled by NFL Mock Draft Database, he is the most popular pick for the Bears over the past week.But one insider believes the Bears have made up their mind, and are targeting Auburn’s Keldric Faulk because of how he would fit with defensive coordinator Dennis Allen.“One name that kind of keeps coming up is a fit for Dennis Allen: Keldric Faulk from Auburn,” Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer said recently on ESPN 1000. Cowboys trading … down?In recent weeks, the idea of the Dallas Cowboys trading up in the first round to secure one of the premium defensive prospects has become a popular theory. In our most recent mock draft, for example, we had the Cowboys trading all the way up to No. 3 to pick Arvell Reese. Others believe the Cowboys would move to No. 6 in a deal with the Cleveland Browns.But is it more likely that the Cowboys move … down?That is what Graziano believes, who wrote this on Wednesday morning:I would actually say it’s more likely the Cowboys trade down from No. 20 than up from No. 12. They need a ton of help on defense and would love it if Styles, Downs or LSU cornerback Mansoor Delane fell to them at No. 12; they could get to work addressing the other positional needs at No. 20 and later. Dallas also doesn’t have a second-round pick (it belongs to the Jets from the Quinnen Williams trade), which is why I’ve been told to watch out for the Cowboys to trade down from No. 20 to try to recoup some Day 2 capital.The point about Dallas lacking a second-round pick is important. As with every draft class, there are solid prospects to be found on Day 2, players who could contribute immediately while not having the same upside as the prospects who will come off the board Thursday night. Dallas could find, for example, a pass rusher early on Day 2 if they trade back, with players like T.J. Parker, Cashius Howell, Zion Young, Malachi Lawrence, R Mason Thomas, and Gabe Jacas all expected to be second-round selections.Could the Jaguars move up?Thanks to the trade for Travis Hunter Jr. last year, the Jacksonville Jaguars do not have a pick on Thursday night.Jacksonville beat writer John Shipley, who is as plugged-in as it gets down in Duval, wrote Wednesday morning that the idea of the Jaguars trading back into the first round is not as far-fetched as one might believe.With that said, it is hard to ignore the possibility of the Jaguars moving up for a few reasons. For one, they have 11 picks this year and a projected 10 picks in 2027. Having 21 picks in that span gives the Jaguars the ammo neccesary to attempt to move back into the first, whether they would do it in one big move or via multiple trades.With four picks in the top-100, the Jaguars could find a trade package worth enticing teams. Looking at the state of the Jaguars’ roster, it is hard to say they will have 11 open spots on the 53-man roster. This isn’t to say I believe the Jaguars ultimately will do it — I think it needs to be the right set of circumstances and for specific targets.What I am saying on this, though, is to not discount the idea. It has been floated enough as a possibility outside of Jacksonville enough in recent days to at least consider it being a realistic priority.As for who the Jaguars would target via a trade back into the first round, Shipley notes that “[l]ogic says a top defender who is falling.” However, he also reminds us that head coach Liam Coen has his mind on the offense, and would “likely … not have any issues with taking a top-rated playmaker either.”The only player Shipley mentions by name in this scenario? Oregon tight end Kenyon Sadiq. #NFL #Draft #rumors #Bears #coming #Giants #plans #top10")
