Latest / Scouting the League / 2027 Draft Scouting - Trinidad Chambliss
Transcript
- Rodrik David @RightStepAdv: Hey everybody and welcome to Scouting the League and our 2027 NFL Draft Scouting. Today it is quarterback Trinidad Chambless of all myths. Shout out to Fabian Baez for making the request on this one. A player I wanted to get to at some point, but hey, when the people ask, I try to deliver. So if you want a player developed, or sorry, if you want a player evaluated, let me know. Development, that's something I certainly want to do as well. Let me know though what players you want. Leave it in the comments here, or head over to Twitter, hit me at right stepADV. Make sure you set your reminders for tomorrow as Neil and I dive into 2027 NFL draft prospects with Jordan Reed, draft analyst over at ESB. And among topics we talk, quarterbacks, of course, edge rushers, wide receivers, corners, and more. Question I pose, is there a first round quarterback in this group? That is something we discuss. So make sure you tune in for that one. Video portion there as well. So make sure you head over to YouTube and follow us there. Leave the comments, leave the thoughts, leave the notes everywhere and anytime you listen. Next week, we get a big time rider set to join Neil and I again. A fun conversation with some stories that you may or may not believe. He is certainly among Writing royalty in the sports world. Credit to you if you can figure out who that is. So make sure you come back, see us, join us for everything we're doing here on Scouting the League. Make sure you head over, give me a follow at Wright Step ADV as well. Check out my website, rsafootball.com. Quick message here from my scouting service, rightstepscouting.com. Yes, rightstepscouting.com, the place for you to get all your evals done. And then if you're a scout or aspiring scout, make sure you head over to thescoutingcommunity.com for all the resources, everything I'm trying to do for both those that want to be in the scouting world and those that already are in the scouting world to improve the industry, take it to the next level. That's the scoutingcommunity.com. And last but not least, blue mock.com is the spot for you to get the best insoles on the market. Use code scouting20 at checkout. Let them know we sent you. Get a little discount on their order. Again, they'll upgrade every pair of shoes you have. So make sure you get them today. Bluemaka.com is the spot for that. But as we jump into 2027 NFL Draft Scouting today, it's all about Trinidad Chambliss, a sixth year player who has had an unconventional journey to the spotlight. Let's go ahead and look at his profile here. So as we talk, Trinidad Chambliss, a guy that started at Fair Estate red shirt season in 2021. Again, going back a few years, did not play in 2022. Finally in 2023 started one game, played in eight overall. Again, that's gonna be one of the things that scouts are digging back, looking at, thinking about is you were at Fair Estate, it took you three years. Late development, late traits, whatever it may be. Scouts are gonna want to dig on what that time at Ferris was like. One of the things that scouts do get paid for, and what separates a really good ones is they will go back and find the sources from 21, 22, and 23, as well as 2024 at Fair Estate, where he was growing, developing what kind of player was. In 2024, he led Fair Estate to a national title, their third and fourth years. This guy's a winner. Placed third in the Harlan Hill Trophy Award. Ferris has always been a home for cast offs. They've had players that have been maybe questionable questionable characters, gotten to some trouble, maybe just couldn't find a home at some of these P4 schools. A lot of them were transfers down traditionally. Now this is a spot. Hey, head to Ferris State, transfer up. They're certainly getting that player again from Ferris State. Heads to Ole Miss, joins Lane Kiffin, where we started to know, started to hear about him. That 66% completion last year as he led Ole Miss to the college football playoffs. Lots of questions surrounding the eligibility, but we know he's back this year and he is doing his thing here at Ole Miss. This year wins an emotional game versus LSU before dropping a tough one to Florida. Nearly 71% completion rate so far with eight touchdowns, three interceptions. Has another 28 carries this year, 108 yards, four touchdowns. A hurdle for Trinidad is going to be his listed height at six foot two ten. But I have heard he will measure much closer, if not right, at 5'11. The 210 pounds, likely closer to 200 pounds as well. So not the ideal stature, though NFL teams have started to adjust down their ideals for that quarterback spot. Still going to come in on the short side though. So let's throw some film on here. As we throw on the film, what do I like about Trinidad Chambliss? There is plenty to like. He is a winner. This guy's one at Ferris, he's now won at Ole Miss. This guy is a winner. And there is something to be said about a quarterback who's going to lead your culture, that should be leading your culture, that is going to be leading your franchise. That this guy has to be a winner. And Trinidad Chambliss has certainly done that. He's overcome obstacles, the character piece. How he dealt with it behind the scenes is going to be something that the NFL Scouts are certainly looking at and talking about to find out was there stuff that maybe was glossed over, that you're digging through on the character, that those fair estate contacts are going to be huge for this player as the development, because we want to go back and find out who he was as a young player when he was still growing before he had the success. So NFL Scouts are going to have their work cut out to him. Getting those old Ferris contacts. But this guy's a winner. Can't replace wins. Can't replace the success he's had. Runs the offense. This guy is comfortable taking control of the offense. Situational football, third and shorts, end of halves, end of the games. This guy is comfortable taking the reins, has played a lot of football. Being a six-year guy, you expect that to be a part of his demeanor, his stature, his mental capacity to be able to take an offense, run with it. You certainly see him doing that. Last year, this year, there's going to be part of what scouts again are doing in the room. What is he like? How much control does he have? Last year to this year, losing Lane Kiffen is certainly going to be something that they put the highlighter on. So this guy's also tough. He can take hits. He bounces back. That 200-pound frame built a lot like a running back, like a slot wide receiver, so he can take some hits. We see him take some hits, but he's been able to bounce back so far. Hopefully that continues to be the case for him. Another thing we like, every throw is on film. It's there to evaluate. Now we're going to talk about whether we like those throws, how much we like those throws, but every throw is on film. That's always a thing that scouts have to talk about with some offenses in college, but while you're not going to see certain throws that guys have to make at the NFL level or most systems are going to ask you to make. For Trinidad, he does make those throws at the college level. They're on tape. So whether you like them or you don't like them, they are there for you to evaluate. What am I wary of? And there is plenty. Again, you're gonna start to hear this, and it's gonna be okay, we can see where the grade's going for for Roderick on this guy. But what I'm wary of, I think he's just got sufficient arm strength. Overall, this guy is a sufficient arm strength, arm drive, velocity player. It comes out of his hand nights. I think he's a sufficiently natural thrower, but he to me, the routine throws look like he really. has to get stuff behind him. He's got to step in. He's got to drive. Everything has to be right. I see him missed throws when it's not quite right that I think should be routine. Routine in the NFL, routine at the college level. And part of that is he's elongating plays that that kind of cover up some of those throws, some of those misses, some of the times where the throw's not quite right. But I think it's just sufficient arm strength for a guy that is pretty polished, pretty, pretty much done gaining arm strength. One of the things I look at that I learned from Matt LaFleur when he was a quarterback coach in Atlanta was that back foot. This guy is a high-step back foot guy. Matt Coach LaFeur talked about being able to drag that foot. You drag that toe. The great throwers of the football that he showed cut us up cut-ups on drug that toe as they came through. You're kind of kicking up the dust as it comes across. Where the guys where it's not as natural, you almost see a step over a bag. You see that foot. Having to come off the ground as guys throw the football. And that is a less natural throw, which means there's got to be more mechanical focus. It has to be right on this lower half where the natural throwers of the football, which I think he's just a sufficiently natural thrower here, is not going to be there for some of these throws, which I think there's gonna be NFL throws that Trinidad has a really hard time consistently making from a pocket. When the coverage is there, when things get a little bit muddy. Another thing I'm worried of is he gets away with some throws. Even in this LSU game that we watched, you know, game here with Louisville, there are throws that should be intercepted that he is fortunate. Again, those turnover worthy throws we talked about, I think he gets away with some throws that he's not going to get away with at the NFL level. As I talked about with the arm strike, I think this player is finished physically. I think he is who he is. So the mental part is what you have to. Have to be elite. You have to be elite processing, vision, progressive, progression, which is tough when you are this height at 5'11. The comparison is going to be to the Kyler's, to the Drew Breezes of the world, to the Case Keenums, who's now getting it done at the NFL level. But Drew Brees, when the standards Drew Brees, Drew Brees had been processing it as a shorter quarterback for a long time at Purdue, in college, in the NFL with the Chargers before he makes it to New Orleans. This guy was used to. reading the progressions. For a very good athlete like Trinidad, he has gotten away with manipulating the pocket a little bit more, moving, finding the throwing lanes, which you can do to a certain degree at the NFL level, but it's all about the consistency. And I'll talk about it till the cows come home. Every position consistency separates guys quarterback. It's even more so that way. You have to be able to consistently read Play from the pocket and win without using your legs, then the legs allow you to cover up some stuff. Brock Purdy is doing this in Kyle Shanahan's offense. Is that a reason why the 49ers have not gotten over the hump? Is there a ceiling with Brock Purdy? I don't know. Kyle Shanahan is as good of offensive coach as going to allow Brock Purdy to make things happen at that elite level for Trinidad system fit. The way it all works together is certainly going to matter as well. So, this is a finished product who the mental makeup, the hardest part for scouts teams at the NFL level to evaluate is going to be a big, big part of how high this player makes it up on their board. another thing, NFL, yes, it's changing to a degree. More athletic, more games are won by players with their legs, but from the pocket, that's still where you win playoff games. That's still where you kind of raise the team's level at the end of the year. And ultimately, health can't take the hits that this guy has taken at the college level in the NFL. We think about quarterbacks Jaden Daniels, Jackson Dark, Kyler Murray, Caleb Williams, just to name a few that are now dealing with injuries or have recently dealt with injuries. You can't take the same kind of hits at the NFL level that you do at college. Trinidad, that's a part of his game. He's going to use his legs. He's going to elongate. The smaller frame, the smaller quarterback is going to have a hard time sticking together. And at the end of the day, you have to be able to take hits. If his game's going to dramatically change and you try to eliminate all those hits, that's certainly going to change part of his game. So where do I ultimately like him? Let's head over to the stack board, find out. As I said for Trinity, this is a player I like, but only to a degree. I'm putting a draftable grade on him, which means I like him. There's only 250 some players drafted. That is good praise. That's a good spot. But I think this player is ultimately an NFL backup quarterback. I think this is a player that comes in and is a third that develops into a second. We're seeing in the NFL right now the teams that go with veteran backups that don't need practice time. As we talk about all the time, backup quarterbacks get maybe 10% of the total reps during a game week, but they have to be ready to step in and then take over. You look at what the Bengals are doing with Joe Flacco, Josh Johnson on the practice squad. We saw Case Keenum, a very veteran quarterback, be able to step in with one week of practice basically and pull a big upset. Bears over the Eagles. And yes, it's an upset, regardless of whether how good you think the Bears are. That's I don't think anybody saw that coming, kind of the beatdown that they put on him. But we see veteran quarterbacks being able to step in and make those plays. Trinidad, I think, will get to that spot, but he's gonna need some reps. There's gonna be some lumps along the way. So I think this guy ends up being a number three, two eventual number two quarterback, which philosophically, I would never want to draft a backup player who ceiling, I think, is a backup, and I think that's what it is for Trinidad. The more you see him at the NFL level, The less you will like him. That's the way I view this guy. There's been plenty of players, good players. Josh Dobbs was a guy like this. Flash, you like him. Hey, now week three, we hate him. With that's kind of what Carson Wentz has become in Minnesota. That's what a lot of these backup quarterbacks, case keen them. We'll see how long we like him in Chicago. The more you see him, the less you like him. That's why they're backups. It's about the consistency, be able to do it every week as team's game plan for you. But That's where I think him. Could he be Case Keenum? Super high production at college, finds a fit, finds a role, doesn't quite pan out, becomes a good, solid starting backup in the NFL for a long time. I think that's where I see him. I'm putting a fifth round grade on Trinidad for now in the stack board again. I'm sticking him down below guys like Damon Williams, who I think just spins a better ball. I think he is a slightly better athlete. He's got all sorts of character concerns. I would rather work with and develop Damon Williams because the arm strength, Lenora Seller, there's just higher traits with this guy. Again, none of these guys are starters. I'm not investing a lot of capital. I think the grades for me, I'm sliding all these guys down because I think they are backups at the end of the day. Jordan Maiava, much more consistent. Brendan Soresby, there are more NFL traits there if you can get comfortable with what he is. as a person, but that's where I like him. I'm going with the fifth round grade on him. Let me know where I'm wrong. Where am I right? Again, I'm probably more wrong with all my great listeners out there, but let me know what you think. I think he is a spot starter. I think he's a backup in the NFL. I think this guy could be a case keen type story. But the more we see the less le we like, we'll see where it goes. What do you think? Let me know at right step A D V. Make sure you tune in as we talk with Jordan Reed to tomorrow about Trinidad Chambless, among other quarterbacks. So make sure you set that one. Leave all your thoughts, comments in the notes wherever you're at, and above all, wherever you're at, make sure you keep scouting.