In Chambliss' first season at Ole Miss, the former Division II star has led the No. 6 Rebels to a 13-1 record, the best season in school history. The Rebels play No. 10 Miami in Thursday's College Football Playoff semifinal at the Vrbo Fiesta Bowl (7:30 p.m. ET, ESPN). After taking over for injured starter Austin Simmons in the second game, Chambliss never relinquished the starting job. He completed 66.4% of his passes for 3,660 yards with 21 touchdowns and 3 interceptions this season.
A 2022 fifth-round pick by the Commanders, Howell made his first career NFL start against the Cowboys during the regular season finale of his rookie campaign. That next season, the North Carolina ended up being a full-time starter for Washington. He went 4-13 in his 17 starts, completing 63.4 percent of his passes for 3,946 yards, 21 touchdowns, and a league-leading 21 interceptions.
"No. We weren't close to trading," Wolf said. "We felt like we knew what Drake could be and, obviously, here we are. So maybe the timeline's a little bit faster than some people thought, but from Day 1 he's put his head down and worked, and he's a tremendous competitor and teammate. And obviously the improvement has shown this year on the field."
The Senior Bowl is an invite-only showcase of upperclassmen prospects and an important step toward forming a plan for the 2026 NFL draft. You can check out practice coverage Wednesday at 2:30 p.m. ET on ESPN2/ESPN App, and then at 5 p.m. ET on ESPNU/ESPN App. Thursday's practices will air at 2:30 p.m. ET on ESPNU/ESPN App, and then at 5 p.m. ET on ESPNNews. (There will be a re-airing on ESPN2 at 10 p.m. ET.)