Trinidad Chambliss Returns to Ole Miss: His Future NFL Draft Scouting Report

After emerging victorious in a battle with the NCAA for one more year of eligibility, Trinidad Chambliss has seen his star rise as a late-blooming dual-threat dynamo who entered college as a zero-star Division II benchwarmer. He then earned the starting job as a junior at Ferris State and led the Bulldogs to a national championship with strong play (2,925 yards, 26 TDs, 6 INTs on a 61.6% completion rate with 171-1,019-25 rushing in 15 games).

For his redshirt senior-year encore, Chambliss enrolled at Ole Miss as a three-star transfer and guided the Rebels to the College Football Playoff semifinals with production worthy of a longtime SEC veteran (3,937 yards, 22 TDs, 3 INTs on a 66.1% completion rate with 133-527-8 rushing in 15 games). Now he's returning to Ole Miss for a final season to fine-tune his NFL Draft stock.

Trinidad Chambliss from Division II to SEC and College Football Playoff Hero

Chambliss was at his best in the College Football Playoff, starting with a first-round rematch with Tulane. After torching the Green Wave for a season-high 112 rushing yards in the first matchup, Chambliss went 23-of-29 for 282 yards and a touchdown, adding a pair of rushing scores in a 41-10 thrashing to open up the playoffs.

He was just getting warmed up, as Chambliss was a one-man wrecking crew against the George Bulldogs in the quarterfinals at the Sugar Bowl, passing for 362 yards and 2 TDs. With the Bulldogs tying the score, 34-34, with 56 seconds left, Chambliss marched the Rebels down the field for a 24-yard field goal with just six seconds left. A safety on the kickoff left the score at 39-34.

In the semifinals, Chambliss got off to a slow start against one of the best defenses in the country in Miami. He heated up in the second half, leading a fourth-quarter touchdown drive and tacked on the two-point conversion. Unfortunately Georgia was able to come back and win it, 31-27, on a late touchdown. That ended the dream season, but with another year of eligibility Chambliss can improve his skill set.

Trinidad Chambliss Scouting Report

(Editor's Note: This was written before Chambliss' additional year of college football eligibility was granted) At 6-foot and 200 pounds, Chambliss is going into his age-24 season as a dual-threat quarterback. As a runner, Chambliss turned the FBS into his personal improv stage this past season. As a designed rusher, he proved himself to be a legitimate weapon on QB power, counter and RPOs. He's not a tackle-breaking hammer, but his jitterbug feet and angle-seeking vision make him a tackle-avoiding joystick.

As a passer, Chambliss has enough arm to punish single-high coverage, and he has sufficient pocket maneuverability and escapability to avoid free rushers, extend plays, reverse field, and hit late crossers and slot seams after coverage has already admitted defeat. He's more than comfortable throwing on the move and from scrambled platforms, and he competes with the gritty edge of someone who played his way up from the Division II ranks.

But Chambliss has flaws. He's old and undersized. He's raw as a pre-snap processor. He's more instinctive than predictive as a post-snap reactor. And he answers defensive challenges more with his legs than with his eyes and arm. Chambliss has the skill set to be a long-term NFL backup, but he probably lacks the actual skill to be a starter.

Trinidad Chambliss Returns to Ole Miss: His Future NFL Draft Scouting Report

Trinidad Chambliss from Division II to SEC and College Football Playoff Hero

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Trinidad Chambliss Scouting Report

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