Trinidad Chambliss went from a Division II standout at Ferris State to a breakout quarterback at Ole Miss under Lane Kiffin last season. Now he has the opportunity to become a top quarterback prospect in the 2027 NFL Draft with another solid effort this fall.

Kiffin, now at LSU, has a quarterback that could raise his draft stock this season. Sam Leavitt transferred from Arizona State to play under Kiffin. He led ASU to a Big 12 championship and College Football Playoff appearance in 2024. He took a step back in 2025 while dealing with a foot injury.

Jordan Reid of ESPN noted that some NFL scouts and evaluators think Leavitt has the potential to climb from a Day 2 prospect to a first-round pick if he excels at LSU.

More News: Kirk Herbstreit Calls Out Notre Dame for ‘Embarrassing’ Schedule

More News: Three Teams That Can Win the Big 12

"Quarterback Sam Leavitt is looking to rebound after following up a breakout 2024 season at Arizona State with an injury-riddled seven-game campaign last year," Reid wrote.

"A quick-footed, dual-threat signal-caller, Leavitt has tools that fit seamlessly into the Kiffin scheme, which expedites the development of passers. There's a path for Leavitt to emerge from his current Day 2 status into Round 1 consideration."

In 2024, Leavitt threw for 2,885 yards, 24 touchdowns and six interceptions. Amid his foot injury last season, he went 5-2 as a starter, passing for 1,628 yards, 10 touchdowns and three interceptions.

Earlier this month, Leavitt said he was back to 100 percent on the field, though he noted he has to do foot maintenance during warmups. Kiffin was pleased with how much better Leavitt has performed in training camp than spring practice when the quarterback couldn't throw with his weight on the foot.

"Now that he's healthy, he's had a great week and we're really excited about him," Kiffin said.

Leavitt will have a better surrounding cast than he did at Arizona State. He'll be the key to getting LSU into the CFP this season. If LSU has a deep run, Leavitt could be set up for a call on draft night.

For more on the NCAA, head to Newsweek Sports.