When the Cleveland Browns beat the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 17 of the 2025 NFL season, most waved goodbye to the possibility of drafting QB Fernando Mendoza or QB Dante Moore at the top of the 2026 NFL draft. The New Year’s Day Sugar Bowl brought a new (to many) name into focus: QB Trinidad Chambliss.
Against one of the best defenses in college football in Georgia, Chambliss was electric to carry the Ole Miss Rebels from behind and into the College Football Playoffs semifinals. His basic stat line
was very good: 30/46, 362 yards, two touchdowns, and zero interceptions. It was plays like this that have many wondering if Chambliss will declare for the 2026 NFL draft and find himself rising up the ranks significantly:
The escapability, the ball placement, the velocity on the throw, and the calmness while being pressured in the biggest stage against a great defense had many “NFL-only” fans asking the question “Who is Trinidad Chambliss?“
Chambliss transferred into the SEC last year after four years at Division II Ferris State. Chambliss started just 16 games, playing in 25, for the Bulldogs, but led them to a Division II National Championship in 2024 before entering the transfer portal. According to multiple reports, Chambliss was the 60th-ranked quarterback in the transfer portal this offseason.
In 2025, Chambliss did not take over the Rebels’ offense until the third week but finished the season completing 66% of his passes for 3,660 yards with 21 TDs and three interceptions. He was sacked just 13 times all season and rushed for 520 yards with eight rushing TDs.
Then he made these kinds of throws in the biggest moments of the biggest game of his career:
A few details in this quick NFL draft profile on Chambliss:
Name
Trinidad Chambliss
Position
Quarterback
Height/Weight
6’1”, 200 pounds
College
Ole Miss
Average “Big Board” Position As of Publishing Date from Mock Draft Database
The Draft Network
What Experts are Saying
Fit with the Browns
If we are being honest, figuring out who is going to be a great quarterback at an NFL level is far from a perfect process. Drake Maye quarterbacked a mediocre North Carolina team and is now likely to win the MVP in his second year in the NFL. Josh Allen was terribly inaccurate in college and early in the NFL, but is a consistent MVP candidate. Brock Purdy was the last draft pick and is now carrying a very injured and limited San Francisco 49ers team. Jalen Hurts and Lamar Jackson were openly discussed as needing to transition to running back.
Dak Prescott was a fourth-round pick, Jordan Love was actively questioned even as recently as last season, earlier this season, some wondered if CJ Stroud was holding the Houston Texans back, Browns fans know the career arc of Baker Mayfield and Bo Nix spent five years starting in college, including some terrible play for multiple seasons at Auburn.
Even Patrick Mahomes was seen as a streetball-style quarterback who couldn’t play in structure when he was going into the NFL draft.
All that to say, Chambliss could be the next Russell Wilson or could be the next PJ Walker. There is a lot of time between now and the 2026 NFL draft, should he declare. There is also at least one more game for Ole Miss to play in the College Football Playoffs. Another chance for Chambliss to put on a show and raise his draft stock even higher.
An exciting Sugar Bowl, a new quarterback name for Cleveland fans to argue over, and a lot of fun on the horizon for the College Football Playoffs.
