Charlie Campbell
LSU 24, Ole Miss 32
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Ole Miss quarterback Trinidad Chambliss entered this game with a lot of pressure to lead his team against his former head coach. Chambliss had a slow start in the first half against Louisville in Week 1, but he rallied and led his team to a close fourth-quarter win. Chambliss didn’t need build-up time as he started fast and was very impressive against LSU.
In the first quarter, Chambliss had an accurate pass to the flat to convert a third down and then took off a good gain on a designed run. That helped set up a field goal for the Rebels. Later in the first, Chambliss had a nice play rolling out and then lofting in a perfect jump pass to a receiver downfield. It fell in between two defenders for a gain of 30 yards. That set up a short rushing touchdown. Early in the second quarter, Chambliss converted a few third downs, including a third-and-long where he fired an accurate bullet on a deep dig, and that led his receiver to run an extra 10 yards for a 21-yard touchdown. Late in the half, as the Tigers had gotten some momentum, Chambliss ripped the ball down the field. With less than 20 seconds remaining, Chambliss climbed the pocket and threw a laser to Duce Alexander in the end zone for a 20-yard touchdown. In the first half, Chambliss was surgical, completing 21-of-27 for 248 yards with two touchdowns.
In the third quarter, Chambliss was hit hard as he threw by LSU safety Ty Benefield, and that led to an interception for the Tigers. On the next drive, he made another great ad-lib play where he escaped the rush and then ran to the flat and flipped the ball to a receiver to get a first down. That drive ended in a missed field goal, but after LSU tied the game, Chambliss used his legs to scramble into the end zone and give the Rebels a lead with just over six minutes remaining. That turned out to be the game-winning score. Chambliss completed 33-of-48 passes for 363 yards with two touchdowns passing, one rushing touchdown, and an interception.
This tape is going to help Chambliss's draft grade. He showed accuracy to throw some perfect passes downfield and beat good coverage with superb ball placement. His escapability and running ability were tremendous. Chambliss read the field well and was special at being able to ad-lib his team into a big play. This tape will help Chambliss a lot with pro evaluators.
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Two offensive playmakers for the 2027 NFL Draft got injured in this game. Both Rebels running back Kewan Lacy and Tigers tight end Trey’Dez Green look like potential first-round picks. Early in the first quarter, Lacy had a good run that was called back by a penalty, but Lacy came back to show some power by pushing through three defenders from a few yards out to fall over the goal line for a touchdown. However, midway through the game, Lacy went to the locker room. He had 43 yards on nine carries. Green was playing really well and showing his dynamic mismatch receiving skills with four catches for 60 yards. Early in the fourth quarter, Green had a good run after the catch but took a hard hit to the legs with a hard landing on the ground. That led to trainers helping him off the field, and he was favoring his right leg. Both of them could have their draft status significantly impacted if their injuries are serious.
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LSU safety Ty Benefield had a really good game against Ole Miss. Late in the third quarter, to help get his team the ball back. Benefield had an excellent blitz for a 20-yard loss. He showed the ability to break down in the open field to get the slippery Chambliss on the ground. Benefield was active in coverage, made tackles in run support, and showed good instincts. He finished with nine tackles, one sack, and a tackle for a loss. This tape will help Benefield to be an early-round pick next April.
LSU quarterback Sam Leavitt had a mixed outing against Clemson to open the season, and that trend continued against Ole Miss. Leavitt fought his tail off, but a slow first half was painful for his team and was not helpful for his draft grade.
In the first half, Leavitt was struggling as the Ole Miss defensive line was harassing Leavitt consistently. They had only one sack in the first half, but had him scrambling quickly snap after snap. Even when the rush didn’t get there, Leavitt was rattled, anticipating the rush and not showing good passing fundamentals. Early in the second quarter, Leavitt was harassed and sacked again on second down. Then on third down, his footwork was off balance as he felt more rush than was there. That affected his accuracy, and he overthrew a wide-open receiver for an incompletion. There was no defender around the wideout, and he could have taken off on a long run after the catch with an accurate pass from Leavitt.
Late in the second quarter, Leavitt finally got going as he hooked up with his star tight end Trey’Dez Green to convert a third-and-long where Green had an excellent run after the catch. The big tight end powered through a few tacklers for extra yardage. However, a few plays later, Leavitt and a receiver were wide open in the end zone, but he overthrew him for an incompletion on what should have been an 11-yard touchdown. Leavitt then had a crazy play, escaping to his left, then running across the field to the other sideline, and then throwing on the run for a completion to convert a third-and-7. That set up a rushing touchdown, but at the half Leavitt was only 9-of-13 for 51 yards. Almost 200 yards less than Chambliss.
In the third quarter, Leavitt had a short field after an interception, and he used his legs to cut into the Rebels’ lead. Leavitt had a tough run where he was catapulted into the air with a hard landing to get inside the five, and on the next play he used his legs to dive into the end zone for his sixth rushing touchdown of the season. Later in the third quarter on a third-and-13, Leavitt lofted in a perfect deep ball to the sideline of the end zone for a 26-yard touchdown to cut the Rebels’ lead to 24-21. Leavitt helped lead a tying field goal drive in the fourth quarter. After falling behind, Leavitt used his legs to convert a critical fourth-and-4 with a good scramble showing his speed to cut upfield. However, on a third-and-goal, Leavitt had a tight, standing wide-open alone in the end zone, and Leavitt missed him with an inaccurate throw. Leavitt’s feet were not set, and that led to his throw being off the mark for an incompletion. The next play, Leavitt had his pass tipped at the line, and the deflection was intercepted. If the ball hadn’t been tipped, it would have likely been a touchdown pass. Leavitt finished completing 16-of-27 passes for 158 yards with a touchdown and an interception. He ran for 63 yards and a touchdown as well.
Overall, this tape is not going to help Leavitt. He was too inaccurate overall, and especially in the first half. He got rattled by the Ole Miss front and showed poor fundamentals with his footwork. This tape would suggest that Leavitt is better off returning to LSU for his senior year rather than entering the draft.
Florida State 36, Alabama 50
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While Florida State had a big lead that they were unable to maintain, Seminoles wide receiver Duce Robinson had an impressive night against some good defensive back talent from the Crimson Tide. Robinson caught six passes for 135 yards and a touchdown.
In the first quarter, Robinson got his team going with a 40-yard reception showing his quickness and run-after-the-catch ability. Shortly later, Robinson reeled in a touchdown from 20 yards out. Robinson ran a stutter-and-go and was able to control the ball with one foot in bounds in the back of the end zone for the score. Midway through the fourth quarter, Robinson was targeted in the end zone but did not do a good job of timing his jump to try and win the contested catch.
Throughout the game, Robinson kept using his surprising quickness and smooth route-running to get separation from the Alabama defensive backs. Even though Robinson (6-6, 220) is a big receiver, he runs some nice routes with quickness. This was an impressive tape for Robinson that will help his draft grade.
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There was the potential for a good draft matchup in this game with Alabama edge rusher Yhonzae Pierre taking on Florida State left tackle Xavier Chaplin. Chaplin was very good for Virginia Tech two years ago; he struggled last year at Auburn, and looks improved with the Seminoles. Unfortunately, they did not go head-to-head much. Pierre was active, moving around the formation and lining up against the right tackle and on the inside off the line. He had five tackles, one for a loss, and a pass batted. In the fourth quarter, Pierre came close to a sack on a stunt to the inside, but the quarterback spun free to scramble away. Pierre had a solid but unspectacular tape.
For the most part, Chaplin was efficient. He kept rushers off his quarterback consistently. In the fourth quarter, Chaplin had some bad luck. He had a good block on his edge rusher and tied him up for three or four seconds, but as the quarterback scrambled out of his landmark, the edge was able to redirect for a sack. Chaplin had him blocked on the play and gave his quarterback time, but he held the ball too long to take a sack. Overall, Chaplin looks improved from where he was last year at Auburn.
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Alabama wide receiver Ryan Coleman-Williams had three catches for 62 yards and a touchdown, his firs of the season. Midway through the second quarter, Coleman-Williams caught a big fourth-down reception to help Alabama cross midfield. Late in the second quarter, Coleman-Williams caught a swing pass behind the line of scrimmage and exploded down the field for a 46-yard touchdown. Coleman-Williams has been solid but not prolific to start the 2026 season.
North Carolina 20, Clemson 28
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The Clemson Tigers have had a rough start to the 2026 season as their freshman quarterback has really struggled, and they have not been able to play complementary football. The Tigers have some good defensive talent for the NFL, but those players have been put in repeated difficult situations as the offense struggles to score points. Week 1 was an embarrassing blowout to LSU, but one of the bright spots was the play of cornerback Ashton Hampton.
Hampton had an impressive interception of Sam Leavitt in Week 1, and he was very good in coverage against North Carolina. In the first half, the Tar Heels avoided him, but he maintained tight coverage. Midway through the first half, the Tar Heels threw at him on a deep post route, but Hampton was stride-for-stride and forced an incompletion. In the third quarter, Hampton was in press coverage and stayed close to the receiver on a crossing route. The pass was slightly behind the wideout, and Hampton came close to an interception, but the receiver smacked the ball away. After that, Hampton was avoided by North Carolina.
For the NFL, Hampton (6-3, 204) looks like a starting cornerback who could have No. 1 corner potential. With his excellent height, length, and weight, Hampton is an ideal press-man cover corner. He does an excellent job of staying in phase and turning and running to stay with receivers along the sideline. His size covers up receivers and makes it difficult for quarterbacks to get the ball around him. Hampton’s length, weight, and strength allow him to stay in good position and not get pushed around by big receivers. Hampton is adept at keeping his eyes on the quarterback and knowing when he should look back for the ball. Hampton looks like a pro starter, and this analyst sees a first-round pick next April.
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Clemson defensive end Will Heldt was disappointing and underwhelming in Week 1 against LSU, but Heldt played better versus North Carolina. It didn’t start well with a missed tackle in the ground game, but Heldt was getting upfield in the rush. In the third quarter, Heldt used a spin move to the inside to get past the left tackle, and the tackle reached back to hold Heldt across his chest. There should have been a holding penalty, but Heldt got in the face of Billy Edwards to force a third-down incompletion. Late in the third quarter, Heldt used speed to get upfield on the left tackle; he got chipped by a back, spun back to the inside, and then sacked Edwards. Overall, this was a solid and respectable tape for Heldt.
Heldt is a quality edge rusher with speed off the ball, athleticism, and a variety of moves. Heldt is solid against the run, but not a world beater in either regard. The season is young, and there is a lot left to go, and in the early going, Heldt has the look of more of a day-two pick rather than a first-rounder.
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Clemson linebacker Sammy Brown had a high preseason grade from NFL advance scouts, but he has not had a big presence in the early games of the 2026 season. That continued against North Carolina; in the first half, he had a painful missed tackle on a chunk run by the Tar Heels. Brown came back to make some stops and get in on some run tackles. He had around double-digit tackles depending on how it is scored. Brown also showed his blitzing ability with a nice rush and sack of Edwards. Overall, Brown has looked more like a day-two prospect rather than a true early-rounder.
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North Carolina defensive tackle Xavier Lewis had an impressive performance in Week 1 versus TCU, and he followed it up with an excellent game against Clemson. In the first half, Lewis used speed to get the right guard reeling back and then spun to the inside to get a sack of the quarterback. Later, after Clemson cut the Tar Heels' lead to two points and the Tigers offense was finally starting to get some rhythm moving the ball, Lewis came up with a clutch play for his defense. At the start of the fourth quarter, Lewis did a spin move to beat the left guard to get a sack of the quarterback and force a punt. On top of the sacks, Lewis had contributed some tackles in run defense.
For the NFL, Lewis is an undersized interior pass rusher. In each of the three games this season, Lewis has notched two sacks. He is quick to get upfield, plays with good leverage, has a variety of moves, and a burst to close. This was an excellent tape for Lewis, and he is a fast-rising prospect for the 2027 NFL Draft.
Walt