College Football Week 3: 2027 NFL Draft storylines to watch
By Jack Brentnall
Two weeks into the college football season, early impressions are beginning to turn into genuine trends. Week 3 offers several prospects the chance to strengthen a fast start, while others face the sort of significant step up in competition that can expose whether their early success is sustainable.
Here are six storylines to watch in Week 3.
Spotlight Game - Trinidad Chambliss (QB, Ole Miss) vs LSU
A prospect taking centre stage in one of the weekend’s biggest matchups.
Trinidad Chambliss has opened the season with the efficient quarterback play that characterised his 2025 season.. Through two games, he has thrown for 561 yards, five touchdowns and only one interception, completing 23 of 26 passes in last weekend’s comfortable victory over Charlotte.
Chambliss may not possess the most imposing physical profile at 6’0” and 208 lbs, but he does offer accuracy in the short and intermediate areas, excellent pocket awareness and the mobility to evade pressure.
Those qualities make Chambliss a more polished prospect than some of the more physically gifted but volatile quarterbacks in this class. There are still questions about his post-snap processing, particularly when defenses rotate late, and he can become too committed to predetermined throws when he senses pressure.
LSU should provide Chambliss with his toughest test of the season so far. The stakes are raised further by the fact this game marks Lane Kiffin’s return to Oxford after an acrimonious offseason departure. In a top-ten matchup already loaded with emotion and drama, leading Ole Miss to an upset would no doubt provide a real boost to Chambliss’ draft stock.
The Step Up - Jerry Kaminski (QB, North Dakota) vs Nebraska
A prospect facing a significant rise in competition.
Jerry Kaminski entered the season as a potential deep sleeper and has done everything possible to justify greater attention. Through three games, the North Dakota quarterback has completed 60 of 78 passes for 778 yards, 11 touchdowns and only two interceptions.
The improvement was apparent from the opening weekend. Kaminski looked composed and threw the deep ball with conviction against Long Island, showing encouraging placement when attacking vertically. He has continued to produce since then, including 310 passing yards and three touchdowns in last weekend’s victory over Portland State.
Accuracy was one of Kaminski’s biggest issues in 2025, but it has been appreciably better through the opening three games of this season. His 76.9% completion rate reflects the progress he has made, although North Dakota’s early schedule has offered few answers about whether that improvement will hold when he is consistently pressured and forced to operate with tighter windows.
That changes against Nebraska. The speed will increase, throwing windows will shrink and Kaminski should face considerably more disruption than the 17.8% pressure rate he has encountered so far. If his poise and accuracy survive that jump, he will begin to look like more than a late-round curiosity.
Under the Radar - Shadre Hurst (IOL, Houston) vs Texas Tech
A lesser-known prospect with an opportunity to earn more attention.
Shadre Hurst has quietly been excellent through his opening two games at Houston. The Tulane transfer has not allowed a single pressure and has helped the Cougars begin the season unbeaten, but Friday night’s ranked matchup with Texas Tech represents his first major test.
Hurst is an undersized but highly mobile interior lineman. He plays with excellent leverage, redirects efficiently in pass protection and possesses the quickness to reach defenders or climb into space. Although he has played guard in college, his 6’1″, 291 lb frame and movement skills could ultimately make center his best NFL position.
Texas Tech’s interior defensive line should be an excellent litmus test for him. AJ Holmes and Mateen Ibirogba are both disruptive penetrators whose explosive first steps can create immediate problems. Hurst’s quickness and low pad level give him the tools to compete, but his shorter arms limit his margin for error.
The early signs have been extremely promising. A big performance against this calibre of interior athleticism, on the stage of a ranked Friday night matchup, would turn heads and could propel Hurst from an under-the-radar name into the heart of the 2027 NFL Draft conversation.
Rising Stock - Reed Harris (WR, Arizona State) vs Kansas
A prospect whose stock is rising and who has an opportunity to build further momentum.
Reed Harris was productive during his time at Boston College, but he was never a high-volume receiver. His best campaign produced 39 catches for 673 yards and five touchdowns. Two games into his Arizona State career, his role and national profile look very different.
Harris has converted 18 targets into 15 catches, 326 yards and four touchdowns. After opening with 137 yards against Morgan State, he delivered nine catches for 189 yards and two scores against Texas A&M. His 58-yard touchdown offered a particularly impressive glimpse of the speed he can generate once he builds momentum.
At 6’4″ and 220 lbs, Harris combines size with the strength to remain on schedule through physical coverage. His hands and adjustment ability allow him to finish outside his frame, although a lack of high-end short-area explosiveness can limit the separation he creates against defenders playing with cushion.
Kansas provides another opportunity to prove this hot start is sustainable. A big performance at Wembley would ensure Harris leaves London as one of the biggest early risers in the 2027 NFL Draft class.
Backing It Up - Luke Reynolds (TE, Virginia Tech) vs Maryland
A prospect coming off a standout performance with the chance to show it wasn’t a one-off.
Luke Reynolds entered 2026 with intriguing flashes but limited production. Against Old Dominion, he finally delivered the sort of complete receiving performance that his athletic profile had long suggested was possible.
Reynolds established career highs across the board, catching eight of his 10 targets for 108 yards and two touchdowns. It was the first 100-yard performance by a Virginia Tech tight end since 2020 and the first multi-touchdown game of Reynolds’ career, providing the clearest evidence yet that he can become a prominent part of the Hokies’ passing attack.
The talent has never been particularly difficult to identify. Reynolds is an explosive, flexible athlete with strong hands in traffic and enough range to contribute as a blocker on the move. The questions have centred on his experience, route craft and whether he can produce consistently enough.
One breakout performance does not settle those concerns. Following it with another big showing on the road against Maryland however would no doubt turn plenty of heads.
Return to Action - Dylan Stewart (EDGE, South Carolina) vs Mississippi State
A prospect returning from injury and looking to get back to his best.
Dylan Stewart is expected to make his first appearance of the season against Mississippi State after missing South Carolina’s opening two games through injury. It is welcome news for one of the most physically talented defenders in the 2027 class, although expectations should be tempered until his likely workload becomes clearer.
Stewart’s appeal begins with his explosiveness. He possesses the burst and bend to threaten tackles around the arc, can convert speed into power and is particularly effective when South Carolina uses his agility on stunts. That athleticism gives him genuine disruptive potential, but his pass-rush plan, functional strength and ability to remain under control still require development.
Durability has also become part of the evaluation following the significant back injury he suffered in 2025. Even if Stewart is active this weekend, it is not yet clear whether he will resume a full role immediately or be eased back on a limited snap count.
That uncertainty makes this less about demanding an immediate dominant performance and more about seeing how Stewart moves and responds to competitive action. Mississippi State have scored 100 points across their unbeaten start, so whatever opportunities he receives should provide a meaningful first indication of where he stands.
JACK BRENTNALL
HEAD OF NFL DRAFT CONTENT
Previously the founder of The Jet Sweep, Jack joined The Touchdown as head of Draft Content in 2024. A Scouting Academy alumnus, Jack has been Covering the NFL Draft since 2020. Follow him on Twitter @Jack_Brentnall.
