The Trinidad Chambliss case divided college football fans into three camps. Some wanted him back at Ole Miss, others pushed for him to go pro, and many worried about what precedent this would set.
Ole Miss won. The pro crowd lost. What this means long-term remains unclear.
Chambliss staying in college creates a major gap in this year’s draft class. There’s now a significant drop-off between projected starters and developmental quarterbacks.
He wasn’t going to challenge Fernando Mendoza for the top spot. He probably wouldn’t have jumped ahead of Ty Simpson either. But Chambliss would have given teams an intriguing option – a potential future starter without burning a top-20 pick.
The quarterback draft landscape
Mendoza is as close to a lock for the No. 1 pick as any quarterback in recent memory. That’s not changing unless something catastrophic happens.
Simpson is the only other quarterback getting first-round buzz. Even that’s looking shaky.
The single season as a starter will hurt him. Chambliss would’ve needed an incredible draft process to crack the first round anyway.
Draft analysts who were bold enough to project Chambliss during his NCAA case never had him in the first round. Most settled on rounds two through four.
Right now, only six quarterbacks project as potential NFL starters. Simpson, Mendoza, Garrett Nussmeier, Carson Beck, Drew Allar and Cade Klubnik. Of those, only Mendoza looks ready to start immediately.
You could argue for Mendoza and Simpson as day-one starters. Chambliss would’ve been the third in that group, but a round later. That’s where the value comes in.
The Raiders should take Mendoza first overall. Simpson goes somewhere between picks 15 and 25.
Chambliss would’ve been the only quarterback worth considering in round two. Before the combine, interviews and pro days, Nussmeier, Beck, Allar and Klubnik all project between rounds three and five.
How this changes draft strategy
Teams will now approach quarterback differently outside the top 20 picks. Chambliss would’ve bridged the gap between round one and round three.
If Simpson slides past pick 20, teams might trade back into the first round to get him. The alternative is waiting for the other four guys later.
From a scouting perspective, Chambliss was fascinating. His listed 6’0″, 200 pounds sits at the lower end of what teams want. If he measured 6’1″ and gained 5-10 pounds, that would’ve helped. A sub-4.5 forty-yard dash showcasing his mobility could’ve boosted his stock too.
NFL teams must now adjust their strategy. There’s no second-round quarterback they can realistically develop into a starter.
This creates a Drew Brees situation regarding draft position. Brees was excellent at Purdue but not seen as first-round talent. In the right system, he became a Hall of Famer.
Teams that wanted to prioritize pass rushers, offensive linemen or receivers while still landing a developmental quarterback can’t rely on that strategy anymore. Some will have to abandon getting their quarterback second.
This forces teams to consider reaching for Simpson rather than choosing between four guys with significant question marks.
For Chambliss’s NFL future, coming out in 2026 would’ve been better for his draft position. Entering 2025, analysts believed 8-10 quarterbacks could become franchise players. That number has dropped significantly.
Looking ahead to the 2027 draft class, Chambliss will face more competition for a top-50 pick. A top-50 selection in 2026 seemed almost guaranteed.
Arch Manning, Dante Moore, Julian Sayin, Darian Mensah, LaNorris Sellers, DJ Lagway, Sam Leavitt, CJ Carr, Jayden Maiava, Brendan Sorsby and Dylan Raiola could all enter the 2027 NFL Draft.
Chambliss has about a month to get back into the Ole Miss program under internally promoted head coach Pete Golding. That shouldn’t be difficult before spring practice begins.
