2027 NFL Draft stock watch features 11 players on the rise

The group of prospects expected to join the pros next April features a good amount of established stars, from quarterbacks Arch Manning and Dante Moore to wide receiver Jeremiah Smith , among others. But while Smith has continued to set college football ablaze in what is almost assuredly his final campaign, the early results have been decidedly more mixed for several of his peers.

Nevertheless, September often marks the start of a steady ascent in the draft for several players. This year is no different, with a group of standouts already on the upswing.

An undersized passer who will be 25 before his rookie season and started off in Division II would typically seem like an odd figure to factor heavily into one of the most highly anticipated quarterback classes in years. Indeed, Chambliss still amounted to something of a side attraction entering this year. In continuing his full-on star turn, though, the 6-0, 208-pound passer could force teams to have some uncomfortable reconsiderations of when the circumstances are right to break from protocol and pursue an outlier. Despite playing a brutal early slate, Chambliss has racked up 12 touchdowns and carried Mississippi, proving he can excel even without Lane Kiffin's touch. Not all of his playmaking skills will translate to the NFL, but in a league where offenses place a premium on big gains, coaching staffs should covet Chambliss' calculated aggressiveness both from within and out of structure. His resiliency and decisiveness are also major strong suits. Now firmly out of range for being considered merely a developmental option or an entertaining backup, Chambliss is sure to test the creativity and adaptability of front offices as the pre-draft process continues.