The Player

Chambliss took one of the most unconventional paths to becoming a top quarterback prospect. A lightly recruited passer from Michigan, he began his career at Ferris State, where he redshirted before a serious respiratory illness wiped out his 2022 season. He returned to lead the Bulldogs to the Division II national championship in 2024, then transferred to Ole Miss in 2025 as Austin Simmons’s backup. An early injury to Simmons thrust Chambliss into the starting lineup, and he never gave the job back. He threw for 3,937 yards, had 22 touchdowns and just three interceptions, added 527 rushing yards and eight more scores on the ground, earned SEC Newcomer of the Year honors, and guided the Rebels to the College Football Playoff, highlighted by a brilliant performance in a victory over Georgia before Ole Miss fell to Miami in the second round.

Chambliss is undersized by NFL standards, but he has a compact, sturdy build and above-average speed for the position. He’s a quick processor whose eyes work rapidly. The ball comes out on time when he’s operating within the structure of the offense, and he shows outstanding toughness in the pocket. He’s willing to stand tall and deliver throws knowing he’ll absorb a hit, displaying the kind of competitiveness coaches love.

Mechanically, Chambliss has a compact, lightning-quick release and outstanding arm explosiveness. The football jumps off his hand with impressive velocity thanks to excellent hip rotation and torque through his throwing motion. He’s at his best when he can drive the football, firing fastballs into tight windows that many quarterbacks simply can’t attack. He also flashes the ability to layer throws between defenders down the field, showing that his arm talent extends beyond pure velocity.

Where Chambliss needs the most development is in his touch and finesse. Too often, he relies on velocity when a softer throw is required, and his inability to consistently change speeds shows up throughout his tape. His deep balls could also benefit from more arc, as flatter trajectories occasionally allow defensive backs to recover and contest catches downfield. Even so, his placement on deep rail routes is frequently outstanding, giving receivers every opportunity to make plays despite a lower trajectory.

Overall, Chambliss remains a work in progress as a passer, but the foundational traits are easy to see. He possesses the quick release, arm talent, timing, decisiveness, and confidence to develop into a high-level quarterback. Just as importantly, he trusts what he sees, showing little hesitation when attacking tight windows in coverage.

His creativity outside the pocket is another defining trait. Chambliss is exceptionally instinctive when plays break down, consistently finding ways to extend downs while keeping his eyes downfield. His back-to-back plays early in the fourth quarter against Georgia in the College Football Playoff—at the 14:52 and 14:12 marks—perfectly capture the improvisational ability that makes him such an exciting prospect.

He’s also a legitimate running threat. Chambliss combines impressive speed with physicality as a runner, showing light feet, lateral quickness, and the ability to string multiple moves together in space. Defenses have to account for him whenever he tucks the ball, and he remains dangerous even after leaving the pocket, where he’s capable of drilling tight-window throws on the move.

The Projection

Chambliss’s play in the CFP was that of a first-round NFL draft pick. Now, with Lane Kiffin gone from Ole Miss and a seemingly lesser supporting cast around him, the question is whether Chambliss can continue that ascent in 2026. Russell Wilson isn’t a perfect comparison, but there are similarities (leadership, mobility) to Wilson during his final season at Wisconsin after transferring from NC State that are difficult to ignore.

The McShay Mock Draft