Trinidad Chambliss put on a show in his Week 1 shootout against Lincoln Kienholz (Louisville), and the Ole Miss quarterback’s performance has only fueled the conversation about where he lands in the 2027 NFL Draft.

The former Ferris State signal-caller continued to demonstrate the arm talent, improvisation skills, and fearless mentality that have made him one of the most polarizing quarterback prospects in college football. After speaking with my co-host Joe DeLeone on the latest episode of Best Pod Available, I walked away feeling even more confident that Chambliss ends up as a top-64 pick in April.

The Ole Miss offensive philosophy and Chambliss’s résumé game

One thing that stood out from the Ole Miss game was the offensive philosophy. It felt like the entire approach was built around the idea that Trinidad is going to figure it out. And he did.

Chambliss made a lot of really big throws throughout the contest, even as running back Kewan Lacy got bottled up and the ground game never found a consistent rhythm. There are legitimate concerns about the Rebels’ inability to run the ball as steadily as they should have, given the talent in their running back room.

But Chambliss continues to show why he could be in the mix for the first round, or at the very least be one of the first quarterbacks taken in the second round.

A volatile evaluation with undeniable magic

Chambliss is going to be such a volatile player for evaluators. There will be a wide array of opinions on him because he plays like a Wild West shooter. He makes miraculous plays out of absolutely nothing, but the question remains: does he do the routine well enough to be sustainable as a starting quarterback in the NFL?

I keep coming back to the Tyrod Taylor path, where you’re a starter for stretches but eventually become a stopgap or a bridge before cycling through again. But there is real magic to his game. He does things that put you in awe.

One thing I want to make sure isn’t underrated about Chambliss: he’s not a big kid. He’s 5-11 and roughly 205 pounds. But the kid has a stronger arm than you would anticipate for his smaller stature.

He is a fearless thrower. When he throws, he throws with absolute conviction, and that can get him in trouble sometimes with wild throws. But that conviction is also what makes him special.

The Russell Wilson comparison still holds for DeLeone. Chambliss has the right frame. He’s built well enough to withstand contact as a runner and in the pocket. The shiftiness, the elusiveness, and the power in his arm to rip the ball regardless of the platform reminds me of Russell Wilson during that stretch in Seattle where he had seasons where people considered him an MVP candidate.

You just shouldn’t bet against this kid

For a player with his background of being a no-star recruit who went to Ferris State, served as a backup to Austin Simmons, found his opportunity, and then became one of the biggest stars in college football, the ascension has been remarkable. Every example we’ve seen over the last few years is this kid defying the odds.

At this point, should we just stop doubting Trinidad Chambliss? He might just be really good, and maybe we’re overthinking it.

When you have physical outliers, let them fall. Let them fall to somebody who needs a quarterback, and then watch him take off and turn into a high-impact player wherever he ends up.

The toolsy quarterback debate: DJ Lagway vs. Nico Iamaleava

Beyond Chambliss, two other quarterback prospects deserve attention as potential dramatic risers in this class. Nico Iamaleava from UCLA and DJ Lagway at Baylor both have elite raw tools, but their Week 1 performances told very different stories.

Iamaleava against Cal didn’t do much for me. The tools did not pop the way I expected. He was fine, nothing more.

Lagway’s film against Auburn was a different story entirely. I need to preface this clearly: I am not saying I’m bought in on DJ Lagway. He’s been too constantly injured for me to bet on right now.

I need 5 to 7 consecutively healthy, productive games before I can even think about it. But if you ask me who had the 5 to 7 best individual throws from Week 1, the answer is DJ Lagway. Some of his throws were bonkers. The arm talent was on time, and he made incredible throws with both layering the football and throwing at pace.

The problem is that Lagway also had 4 or 5 of the worst plays of the week from any quarterback. The fumble trying to hurdle a defender, the shot-put throw that nearly got intercepted. These are sloppy turnovers with zero upside.

There’s a massive difference between a risky downfield shot into a tight window and a play where you try to jump over somebody and fumble for a gain of one yard. One has splash-play potential if it connects. The other only has a turnover as its non-dead-play outcome.

Both Lagway and Iamaleava carry Anthony Richardson-type profiles. They’re volatile, toolsy quarterbacks where you’re betting on the ceiling. The odds say one of them probably ends up being an NFL starter. That arm talent just pops.

But right now, I’m much more interested in Lagway than Iamaleava after watching the film, and I’m still much more comfortable with Chambliss than either of them.