Ole Miss quarterback and ascending 2026 NFL Draft prospect Trinidad Chambliss willed the Rebels to a CFB Playoff quarterfinal victory over the Georgia Bulldogs, and with his high-level play, interest is building around his 2026 NFL Draft stock. Here’s what he’s shown.
Trinidad Chambliss Ascending in 2026 NFL Draft Quarterback Class
Chambliss entered the season as Ole Miss’ QB2 behind former four-star recruit Austin Simmons, but those who’d followed him at the Division II level knew what he was capable of.
After playing high school ball at Forest Hills Northern in Grand Rapids, Michigan, Chambliss committed to play for the Ferris State Bulldogs in 2021. He took a traditional redshirt in 2021, then missed the 2022 season while dealing with a medical issue.
In 2023, Chambliss settled into the backup role for the Bulldogs, seeing the field in eight games and starting one. In his limited action that season, Chambliss showed promise, throwing for 354 yards, five touchdowns, and one interception while rushing for 304 yards and four additional scores.
Trinidad Chambliss was unconscious v. UGA. Already a CFB legend & blasting a hole into the 2026 QB discussion (if he doesn’t get a return waiver).
The arm appears limited at times but he’s a fast mover & fast thinker w/ consistent answers under duress.
— Ian Cummings (@IC_Draft) January 2, 2026
In 2024, Chambliss became Ferris State’s starting QB, and the results were extraordinary. Chambliss led the Bulldogs to a 14-1 record and a Division II National Championship, while earning a spot as a finalist for the Harlon Hill Trophy.
In 15 games in 2024, Chambliss completed 226 of 367 attempts (61.6%) for 2,925 yards, 26 touchdowns, and six picks, while running for a whopping 1,019 yards and 25 scores.
Chambliss’ incredible play earned him a transfer opportunity with the Ole Miss Rebels under then-head coach Lane Kiffin, but even then, he had to work for his next starting reps. When an injury to Simmons thrust Chambliss into the starting role against Arkansas, he took it and ran.
In what now seems like standard fashion for Chambliss, he quickly excelled and began a legendary figure in the 2025 season, leading the Rebels to major wins against LSU and Oklahoma, and ultimately helping them place in the CFB Playoffs with a one-loss record.
In the Playoffs, the Rebels first ousted 11-seed Tulane with ease, then scored an upset victory over the Georgia Bulldogs, in which Chambliss put the team on his back to come away with the win.
In total, Chambliss has started 13 games for the Rebels, amassing a 12-1 record. He’s completed 271 of 408 attempts (66.4%) for 3,660 yards, 21 TDs, and just three INTs. On the ground, he’s rushed for 520 yards and eight scores.
The raw numbers are good, and the advanced metrics are better. Chambliss boasts an elite PFSN QB Impact grade of 90.3; he’s one of just six CFB passers above 90, including Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza.
Per TruMedia, Chambliss is one of just 14 QBs to generate a positive EPA per play when pressured. He generates 0.71 EPA per dropback in two-minute situations, 0.31 EPA per dropback late in one-score games, and a magical 1.04 EPA per scramble play.
Chambliss is productive, he’s a leader and a tremendous off-field presence, and at the end of the day, he just wins. All of those things create interest for him, even before we get into the film evaluation. And, on film, there are exciting qualities, too.
Trinidad Chambliss 2026 NFL Draft Scouting Report
Right now, Chambliss grades out as my QB5 in the 2026 NFL Draft, with an early Day 3 grade. That grade could ultimately lift him into the Top 100 conversation, pending declaration decisions from Dante Moore and Ty Simpson.
At 6’1″, 200 pounds, Chambliss is close to average size at the QB position, with a close-to-average arm. When he maintains proper mechanics and is able to fully load his base, he can generate above-average velocity, but his velocity and carriage visibly suffer when that doesn’t happen, accentuating that his margin for error is lower.
Nevertheless, Chambliss has shown he can throw with touch and situational precision from multiple platforms, and his extension and running ability aren’t sources of any questioning.
He’s a near-elite creative threat with explosive, agile athleticism, sixth-sense pressure detection, and an improvisational tool kit that ensures no play is dead until the final whistle.
Additionally, while the Ole Miss offense itself remains a source of uncertainty with its at-times RPO-heavy tendencies and spacing that isn’t always NFL translatable, Chambliss displays promising mental building blocks in spite of this.
Pre-snap, Chambliss has shown he can identify coverage shells and pick out opportunities, and post-snap, he’s shown he can quickly process and discern things like coverage depth, defender hip alignment 1-on-1, and use this information to trigger quickly and anticipate as a thrower.
Chambliss’ anticipatory trigger can be a bit quicker at times, and in the NFL, where windows close faster, his middling arm will be placed under greater scrutiny.
But in Chambliss, you have a fast-moving, fast-thinking field general who can operate in-structure and in-rhythm in the quick game, who can identify deep opportunities early in reps and throw with touch, and who has shown the ability to step up, navigate, and progress through reads when he needs to play in pure dropback situations.
Chambliss’ evaluation will be fascinating in the 2026 NFL Draft cycle, and it’s not a guarantee that he’ll declare.
He has voiced his desire to return to school for a sixth season in 2026 and has submitted a waiver request to the NCAA, claiming medical hardship back in 2022, when he suffered respiratory issues that forced his tonsils to be removed, per ESPN.
It’s worth noting that Chambliss will be a 24-year old rookie if he’s forced to declare, but age is slowly becoming less and less of a sticking point. Tyler Shough was a 26-year old rookie in 2025 and has thrived with the New Orleans Saints.
The NFL Draft is ultimately about taking good football players, and players who can help your team win. Chambliss has proven he is that kind of player at multiple levels.
