NFL Draft Rapid Fire: Trinidad Chambliss surges, Jeremiah Smith isn't done yet

Week 3 of the college football season is in the books, and one thing is becoming clear: the top talent projected to enter the 2027 NFL Draft is legit.

And Week 3 gave us plenty more to talk about.

Trinidad Chambliss made another statement in one of Saturday's biggest games, Jeremiah Smith added his name to the Ohio State record book, and two quarterbacks continued making the 2027 QB conversation even more interesting.

In the first edition of NFL Draft Rapid Fire, NFL Mocks offers quick takes and reactions from Week 3, including a couple of wide receivers NFL scouts won't be able to ignore much longer.

Trinidad Chambliss just made his biggest NFL Draft statement yet

In the game of the week, Trinidad Chambliss led No. 8 Ole Miss to a 32-24 upset win over No. 7 LSU. The win was extra special for Chambliss and the Rebels because it marked the return of Lane Kiffin to Oxford.

The quarterback, who decided to forgo the 2026 NFL Draft and return to school for a sixth year of college football eligibility, put it on his former coach with an outstanding performance.

Chambliss completed 33 of 48 passes for 363 yards, two touchdowns and one interception. The highlight came on a game-winning 14-yard rushing touchdown that showed off his dual-threat ability.

Although Chambliss is in his sixth year and undersized at the position, he should already be a quarterback prospect NFL scouts are keeping a close eye on. With scouts representing NFL teams in attendance, the big-game performance strengthened Chambliss' case as a Day 1 prospect in the draft.

Jeremiah Smith makes history, but he's not done yet

One of the players set to be at the top of the 2027 NFL Draft board come next April is Jeremiah Smith. The outstanding wide receiver cemented his name in Ohio State football history by surpassing Michael Jenkins' receiving yardage record in a 59-3 victory over Kent State.

With the long list of outstanding receivers drafted out of Ohio State, Smith can take this moment and be very proud of what he's accomplished at the school.

In the game, Smith caught five passes for 85 yards and sat out the second half, but said afterward that setting the receiving yards record meant a lot. He's just not done chasing history.

"It means a lot," Smith said. "Put a lot of hard work into it. But I got two more to get (receptions and touchdowns)."

Smith shouldn't have any problem making a run at those records. He needs just six touchdowns to overtake Chris Olave for the school record in that category and 22 receptions to surpass Emeka Egbuka's school record of 205 career receptions.

That's why, if a quarterback isn't taken No. 1 in the 2027 NFL Draft, Smith will have a strong case to be the first player off the board.

NFL teams better start paying attention to Charlie Becker

While Smith and Cam Coleman are two of the wide receivers at the top of many draft big boards across the country, another receiver NFL teams need to watch is Indiana's Charlie Becker.

The highlight of Becker's performance came on this 79-yard touchdown reception that showcased the 6-foot-4 wideout's breakaway speed.

With his hot start to the season, along with the clutch ability he already showcased during the team's national championship run, there is a chance Becker enters the 2027 NFL Draft as WR2 behind Smith.

There is also another big-bodied wide receiver with a tremendous catch radius making waves.

KJ Duff keeps producing no matter the competition

Thursday's NFL Draft Notebook identified KJ Duff as a perfect fit for the Philadelphia Eagles, but there aren't many NFL teams he wouldn't be a fit for.

On Saturday, Duff faced a big challenge leading his 0-2 Rutgers team against No. 11 USC. The question was how the standout wide receiver would fare against a superior opponent.

Well, he did just fine.

Duff caught seven passes on 14 targets for 86 yards and a touchdown in a 42-35 loss. It was this 11-yard, toe-tapping touchdown catch in the end zone that kept his draft stock rising.

While Rutgers fell to 0-3 on the season, Duff's weekly performances will keep the team in the spotlight. With NFL scouts in attendance, including representatives from the Los Angeles Chargers, Washington Commanders and New York Jets, Duff is going to be a big name to watch come next April.

Darian Mensah's red-hot start is getting harder to ignore

Speaking of quarterbacks, Mensah mania is alive and well in South Beach.

In Week 3, Darian Mensah continued his hot streak with an impressive performance in a road victory at Wake Forest. The Miami Hurricanes quarterback made his own history by setting an ACC record with 24 consecutive completions to start the game. Combined with his previous game, Mensah's streak reached 35 straight completions.

Talk about accuracy and making the right decision.

Along with those attributes, NFL scouts are paying attention to Mensah's overall athleticism as well as how clutch he can be in bigger games. While Wake Forest offered a little tougher competition, the big test will come against Notre Dame on Nov. 7.

For now, Mensah's draft stock continues to rise. Will his 30-of-34, 220-yard, three-touchdown performance in Week 3 lead to him rising in our 2027 NFL Draft QB rankings this week?

We shall see.

CJ Carr keeps looking like a top-10 NFL Draft pick

One reason that Nov. 7 matchup between Miami and Notre Dame will be a big test for Mensah is that he'll be going up against another quarterback who is challenging the Arch Manning vs. Dante Moore debate.

Another prospect we've highlighted as one to watch, CJ Carr faced a big test against Michigan State on Saturday night and passed it.

In a 27-10 victory over Michigan State, Carr continued his passing efficiency by completing 18 of 24 passes for 234 yards. With quarterback-hungry teams like the Indianapolis Colts, Minnesota Vikings and Pittsburgh Steelers in attendance, Carr gave analysts who doubt his ability to deliver the deep ball a reason to reconsider that criticism by starting the game with a 61-yard completion.

In showcasing that skill set, Carr is not only looking like a Heisman Trophy candidate alongside Chambliss, but he's also looking like a top-10 pick in the 2027 NFL Draft.

In all, Week 3 gave us plenty to think about, but the 2027 NFL Draft picture is only starting to take shape. If Chambliss, Mensah and Carr keep playing like this, the quarterback conversation is about to get a lot more interesting.

And with Jeremiah Smith continuing to make history, the race to be the first player off the board is just getting started.

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