College Football insiders and NFL Draft gurus once again disagree on quarterbacks.
On Tuesday, The Athletic released its annual college QB tiers, voted on by coaches, scouts, general managers and other personnel members. They placed Ole Miss Rebels QB Trinidad Chambliss and Texas Longhorns QB Arch Manning into Tier 1, the cream of the crop. The list included seven tiers, numbered 1-7.
The voters favored the Ole Miss standout. Chambliss ranked above Manning (No. 7 among the 138 FBS QBs), coming in at No. 1. Draftniks would rearrange this ranking.
Why NFL scouts still prefer Arch Manning over Trinidad Chambliss heading into 2026 season
In Yardbarker’s way-too-early mock draft, Manning went No. 1 overall to the Arizona Cardinals; Chambliss missed the cut. Most of the scouting community would approve of that pick. NFL Mock Draft Database lists Manning as QB1 for the 2027 draft on its preseason big board. Chambliss, meanwhile, is listed as its QB10.
Many scouts may prefer Manning because he looks the part of a franchise QB. Texas’ website lists him at 6-foot-4, 222 pounds. Ole Miss’ website lists Chambliss at 6-foot, 205 pounds. He may be even smaller. Many schools tack on an inch or two to players’ heights to improve their draft stocks.
The good news for Chambliss is that in recent years, teams have softened their stance on smaller QBs. He can thank former New Orleans Saints QB Drew Brees (6-foot, 209 pounds) and ex-Seattle Seahawks QB Russell Wilson (5-foot-11, 206 pounds), who won Super Bowls during their careers.
The league still prefers taller QBs. Take a look at the measurements of QBs who have gone No. 1 overall since 2020. (Pro Football Reference provided the numbers.)
Young is the shortest among this group of QBs, and it’s easy to argue he’s the most difficult to build an offense around. His size limits his ability to push the ball downfield and see over the line of scrimmage. In 2025, the Panther ranked 30th among 33 QBs in yards per attempt (6.3) and 22nd in completion percentage (304-of-478 attempts, 63.6 percent).
In 2025, Chambliss ranked second among 15 SEC passers in yards per attempt (8.8) and fifth in completion percentage (294-of-445 attempts, 66.1 percent). But again, he may struggle to replicate that production in the NFL, where he will face far better competition and way more complex defenses.
Now, Chambliss has already proved his doubters wrong once. Last season, the transfer out of Division II school Ferris State replaced Austin Simmons as the starting QB and led Ole Miss to the College Football Playoff semifinals.
He did so while navigating a coaching change, making that even more impressive. Lane Kiffin left Ole Miss for the LSU Tigers before the CFP. Pete Golding has since replaced Kiffin.
Manning’s not a perfect prospect, either. His passing mechanics need improvement after ranking 13th in the SEC in completion percentage (248-of-404 attempts, 61.4 percent) in 2025.
Still, Chambliss must reproduce or top his 2025 season to convince scouts to consider taking him over Manning or other talented QBs in the 2027 draft (scheduled April 29-May 1 in Washington). That would make them feel more confident that his game will translate to the pros.
