3,900-Yard Standout Earns No. 1 Spot in New SEC Quarterback Rankings

Trinidad Chambliss won a major legal victory this offseason by securing another year of eligibility, giving Ole Miss not only arguably its most important single player, but also potentially the best quarterback returning in the SEC in the 2026 college football season.

That was the consensus of opinion when weighing Chambliss against the other returning quarterbacks across the Southeastern Conference by On3 Sports analysts Crain & Cone, naming the dynamic Ole Miss starter as the best signal caller in the league.

An instant impact player

Chambliss transferred to Ole Miss prior to the 2025 season after playing at Division II school Ferris State before then, and made an immediate impact, assuming the starting role when Austin Simmons was injured and never let go of the QB1 job the rest of the way..

The quarterback was good for over 66 percent of his throws while covering 3,937 yards and scoring 22 touchdowns in the air with only three interceptions, proving instrumental in helping the Rebels to their first-ever College Football Playoff appearance.

That success also helped the quarterback move up the NIL standings, currently sitting inside the top 50 with a $1.6 million valuation, according to On3 Sports.

Chambliss faces more pressure in 2026, returning without some key coaching continuity after the defection of offensive coordinator Charlie Weis, Jr. to Lane Kiffin and LSU, and the Rebels are bringing in a new look wide receiver corps to work with, too.

Other elite SEC quarterbacks in 2026

2026 TOP-10 SEC Quarterback Rankings

Who is the best quarterback in the Southeastern Conference? pic.twitter.com/m9xJfZCTXC
— Crain & Cone (@crainandcone) May 18, 2026

Georgia quarterback Gunner Stockton came in second place in that preseason ranking, coming off a 2,894 yard passing effort for the SEC champion Bulldogs, hitting on 24 touchdowns with 5 picks.

South Carolina saw its fortunes decline to a 4-8 finish a year ago, but the return of LaNorris Sellers, judged here as the third-best quarterback in the SEC, is a major boost for the offense in 2026.

Sam Leavitt checked in at No. 4 in these rankings after a bombshell move that saw him emerge as the No. 1 ranked transfer player in the country this year, jumping ship for LSU from Arizona State, and boasting a $4 million NIL valuation that puts him top-five nationally.

Down at No. 5 is Arch Manning, who entering last season was considered the best player in college football. That was, before he proved otherwise with a sluggish start in 2025, ultimately turning things around in the second half of the season, which the Longhorns hope continues this fall.

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