Justin MeloNov 1, 2026
Melo names five midseason risers for the 2027 NFL Draft and says all five will be first-round picks in mock drafts going forward, with Oklahoma State's Drew Mestemaker now the favorite to be the first quarterback drafted and Kentucky tackle Lance Heard a lock for first-round projections.
Published in writing · Sports IllustratedRead the original
What Justin Melo said
our reading, beside the words we read it fromAll five will be included in first-round mock drafts moving forward.
- Where it was published
- Sports Illustrated
- The piece
- 2027 NFL Draft: 5 Midseason Risers Who Are Changing Big Boards Everywhere
- The original
- Read the original
- Read it wrong?
- Tell us and we will look
- 1Chris Cole to be picked “first round” (picks 1–32)“All five will be included in first-round mock drafts moving forward. ... Chris Cole, LB, Georgia”
- 2Drew Mestemaker to be 1st quarterback off the board“Should he declare, Mestemaker is the current favorite to be the first quarterback drafted.”
- 3Zereoue Williams to be picked “first round” (picks 1–32)“All five will be included in first-round mock drafts moving forward. ... Zereoue Williams, OT, Utah”
- 4Xavier Williams to be picked “first round” (picks 1–32)“All five will be included in first-round mock drafts moving forward. ... Xavier Gilliam, DT, Tennessee”
- 5Drew Mestemaker to be picked “first round” (picks 1–32)“We've identified the five biggest rising prospects for scouts this season. All five will be included in first-round mock drafts moving forward.”
- 6Zalance Heard to be picked “first round” (picks 1–32)“You shouldn't read a single mock draft in November-onward without Heard in the first round.”
Box score
HitCloseMissWaiting| Verdict | Call | Kind | What happened | Score | Naive | Skill |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chris Cole to be picked “first round” (picks 1–32)1 | Mock Draft Picks | — | — | — | — | |
| Drew Mestemaker to be 1st quarterback off the board2 | Position Order Calls | — | — | — | — | |
| Zereoue Williams to be picked “first round” (picks 1–32)3 | Mock Draft Picks | — | — | — | — | |
| Xavier Williams to be picked “first round” (picks 1–32)4 | Mock Draft Picks | — | — | — | — | |
| Drew Mestemaker to be picked “first round” (picks 1–32)5 | Mock Draft Picks | — | — | — | — | |
| Zalance Heard to be picked “first round” (picks 1–32)6 | Mock Draft Picks | — | — | — | — | |
| 6 calls · 6 waiting | — | — | ||||
How each call scored
6 checkable claims — 5 mock draft picks and 1 position order call — each graded on its own rather than as one all-or-nothing call.
It names 5 players and teams, each linked to their own record.
None of them have settled yet — they grade once their results are in.
Of the 1 unsettled call enough other pundits have weighed in on, this one lands below the rest of the room.
Each call is scored 0 to 100 against what happened, on its own, by the published methodology. The naive guess is what knowing nothing would have scored on the same calls; the gap, weighted by how hard the call was, is the skill.
Where this call stands in the room
Drew Mestemaker · 2026 season · positional finish6 calls from 5 pundits between 1 positional finish and 9 positional finish. Justin Melo said 1 positional finish. the room's median is 1 positional finish. not settled yet
Every dot is a call somebody published on the same question. Where the dots land says where this take sits, not whether it is right — nothing here is settled yet. Hover a dot for the name and number; click it to read that take.
Chris Cole to be picked “first round” (picks 1–32)
VerdictWaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
2Position Order CallsDrew Mestemaker
Drew Mestemaker to be 1st quarterback off the board
VerdictWaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
3Mock Draft PicksZereoue Williams
Zereoue Williams to be picked “first round” (picks 1–32)
VerdictWaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
4Mock Draft PicksXavier Williams
Xavier Williams to be picked “first round” (picks 1–32)
VerdictWaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
5Mock Draft PicksDrew Mestemaker
Drew Mestemaker to be picked “first round” (picks 1–32)
VerdictWaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
6Mock Draft PicksZalance Heard
Zalance Heard to be picked “first round” (picks 1–32)
VerdictWaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Who this take is about
Others on the same people
Charlie Campbell · Mock Draft Picks · Xavier Williams · Miss 0
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 they declare.Charlie Campbell · Mock Draft Picks · Xavier Williams · Miss 0
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.Gilberto Manzano · Mock Draft Picks · Zalance Heard · Waiting
Manzano laid out a mini mock of the first round for clubs holding multiple picks, projecting Jeremiah Smith first overall and placing quarterbacks, edge rushers and corners with the Titans, Dolphins, Jets, Eagles and Browns. Manzano also pegged CJ Carr to go no later than No. 9 and tabbed two Kentucky linemen as top-60 prospects.Charlie Campbell · Mock Draft Picks · Chris Cole · Waiting
Previewing Week 11 college games with an eye to the 2027 NFL Draft, Campbell projects draft ranges for a number of prospects, including first/second-round grades for Emmanuel Oyebadejo, top-20 potential for Jordan Seaton and Colin Simmons, Day 2 for two safeties, and first-round talent for several Georgia and Indiana players.Tyler Rowland · Position Order Calls · Drew Mestemaker · Waiting
Roland lays out an 'ideal, not likely' Titans scenario built on landing the No. 1 pick and trading back with the Jets for Jeremiah Smith, while predicting Drew Mestemacher will be the first quarterback off the board and projecting where the Jets' three first-round picks will land.
More mock draft picks
The same kind of call, about other players and teams.
Chris Simms · Mock Draft Picks · Malachi Corley · Miss 11
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; they 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.Philip Hughes · Mock Draft Picks · Kyle Kennard · Miss 34
Evaluating edge rusher Kyle Kennard ahead of the draft, the account projected them as a Day 2 selection.Blaine Grisak · Mock Draft Picks · Brian Thomas Jr. · Hit 84
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 their own from the 2024 pre-draft period, they suggested the Rams could select Thomas at pick No. 19.Rob Rang · Mock Draft Picks · Malachi Corley · Miss 24
Rang updated their 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. They also project Jeremiah Smith as the No. 1 overall pick and says Manning would be a first-round pick if eligible.