# Todd McShay: Evaluating the quarterback class, McShay pegged USC's Maiava as a borderline first-round pick, roughly a top-40 selection, who projects as a hopeful starter or long-term quality backup.

**Claimed:** Sep 27, 2026
**Pundit:** Todd McShay — https://missedtakes.co/pundits/todd-mcshay
**Outlet:** The McShay Show (podcast) — https://missedtakes.co/outlets/the-mcshay-show-podcast
**How it reached us:** said on air, transcribed by us
**Original:** https://pdst.fm/e/traffic.megaphone.fm/GLT3556160801.mp3

One checkable claim, graded on its own against what actually happened.

Nothing to score yet: this grades once the result is in.

> I think he's like a fringe first rounder.

*(their words, quoted for attribution)*

## The claims

- **Jayden Maiava to be picked “a fringe first rounder” (picks 1–32)**
  - Kind: Mock Draft Picks · About: Jayden Maiava
  - Verdict: not settled yet

## Who this take is about

- Jayden Maiava — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/jayden-maiava

## What others said about the same people

- Ryan Wilson on Jayden Maiava: Wilson's 2027 first-round mock draft has Ohio State WR Jeremiah Smith going No. 1 overall to the Chargers, five quarterbacks taken in Round 1 (Mensah first among them), and the Browns trading up for Drew Mestemaker. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/1b9d164f-69dc-41a3-9ed7-8a6bc6eacc32 (not settled)
- Charlie Campbell on Jayden Maiava: Previewing college matchups with NFL draft relevance, Campbell calls Georgia cornerback Eillis Robinson IV a likely first-round pick and suggests USC quarterback Jayden Maiava could come off the board in the middle rounds. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/cbe52399-ae09-48c2-b72b-87d8b29728ad (not settled)
- Gilberto Manzano on Jayden Maiava: Manzano argues the Chargers should take Ohio State receiver Jeremiah Smith if they land the No. 1 pick, and in his mock draft has the Eagles using a Day 2 pick on quarterback Jayden Maiava as a developmental/backup option behind Jalen Hurts. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/5ae68bf7-fb72-4013-8549-43d9f54dc273 (not settled)
- Rob Rang on Jayden Maiava: Rang updated his quarterback board for the 2027 NFL Draft, moving Ole Miss's Trinidad Chambliss to No. 1 ahead of Dante Moore and Arch Manning, and sorting the 14 QBs into first-round, Day 2 and Day 3 tiers. He also projects Jeremiah Smith as the No. 1 overall pick and says Manning would be a first-round pick if eligible. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/65667ef4-80c7-4bd1-a9ae-6c7aa8eb18b7 (not settled)
- Jordan Reid on Jayden Maiava: Reid ranks the 15 best quarterbacks in the 2027 NFL draft class, with Drew Mestemaker atop the board ahead of Darian Mensah and Trinidad Chambliss, and assigns each passer a projected draft range from Round 1 down to the middle of Day 3. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/25302f1d-36a1-4245-af20-be78df015d21 (not settled)
- Charlie Campbell on Jayden Maiava: Previewing Week 6 college matchups, Campbell grades several prospects' draft stock: Texas pass rusher Colin Simmons as a first-rounder, safety Jelani McDonald as a possible first-round pick, receiver Cam Coleman as a potential top-20 selection, Alabama's Yhonzae Pierre as a potential first-rounder, and quarterbacks Jayden Maiava and Rocco Becht as possible mid-round picks. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/4471d9d8-07ea-45ee-a41a-8dcba0ee8f81 (not settled)

## More mock draft picks

The same kind of call, about other players and teams.

- Chris Simms on Malachi Corley: Simms named the Bears the NFL's best overall offense and best rushing offense, the Bengals the best passing offense, Seattle the best total defense, Minnesota the best pass defense and Tampa Bay the best run defense; he also called Tristan Wirfs the league's best offensive lineman, projected Miami's Malachi Toney as a top-15 pick, and predicted a 30-14 Jaguars win in Baltimore. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/c0fd4647-2de8-4a5f-bac2-950fed303ee9 (scored 11.46)
- Philip Hughes on Kyle Kennard: Evaluating edge rusher Kyle Kennard ahead of the draft, the account projected him as a Day 2 selection. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/605a686a-b5f1-4611-82b4-961abf8de93e (scored 33.86)
- Blaine Grisak on Brian Thomas Jr.: Grisak argues the Rams should not trade a second-round pick for Jaguars receiver Brian Thomas Jr., calling it too great a risk and too high a cost. In an embedded tweet of his own from the 2024 pre-draft period, he suggested the Rams could select Thomas at pick No. 19. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/627bcf5d-9f1d-4a34-a1b7-53b8f0aebc40 (scored 84.09)
- Charlie Campbell on Xavier Williams: Campbell's draft stock report projects Indiana WR Charlie Becker as a top-10 pick in 2027, Mississippi State CB Kelley Jones as a first-rounder, Tennessee DT Xavier Gilliam as a top-15 pick, and Texas OT Trevor Goosby as a top-10 pick, while suggesting Arch Manning could still be a first-rounder if he declares. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/2dd4bf46-e5eb-4dff-8500-95d9fdbd2986 (scored 0)
- Walt on Fernando Mendoza: In a running series of coach/GM hiring and firing grades, Walt projects Fernando Mendoza as the No. 1 overall pick of the Raiders in the 2026 draft and has LSU's Garrett Nussmeier going No. 2 overall in his 2026 mock draft. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/29bb2d31-fbe3-40db-b378-be5ba5d990b0 (scored 100)
- Charlie Campbell on Xavier Williams: Reviewing Week 7 college games, Campbell projects a slate of draft outcomes: Tennessee's Xavier Gilliam as a top-15 pick in 2026, Alabama's Bray Hubbard as a Day 2 pick and Yhonzae Pierre as a potential first-rounder, Jeremiah Smith as one of the very first players drafted, Charlie Becker as a top-10 pick in the 2027 draft, Colin Simmons and Trevor Goosby as top-10 picks, and Jadan Baugh as a first-round pick. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/d2c00414-086d-4a40-bb69-7584be496742 (scored 0)

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Accuracy is 0-100 against what actually happened. The naive guess is what a strategy requiring no knowledge would have scored on the same call — the difference is the skill, and it is what the MissedTakes Score averages.

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