# Justin Melo: 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. **Claimed:** Nov 1, 2026 **Pundit:** Justin Melo — https://missedtakes.co/pundits/justin-melo **Outlet:** Sports Illustrated — https://missedtakes.co/outlets/sports-illustrated **How it reached us:** published in writing **Original:** https://www.si.com/nfl/draft/onsi/news/2027-nfl-draft-5--midseason-risers-who-are-changing-big-boards-everywhere 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. > All five will be included in first-round mock drafts moving forward. *(their words, quoted for attribution)* ## The claims - **Chris Cole to be picked “first round” (picks 1–32)** - Kind: Mock Draft Picks · About: Chris Cole - Verdict: not settled yet - **Drew Mestemaker to be 1st quarterback off the board** - Kind: Position Order Calls · About: Drew Mestemaker - Verdict: not settled yet - **Zereoue Williams to be picked “first round” (picks 1–32)** - Kind: Mock Draft Picks · About: Zereoue Williams - Verdict: not settled yet - **Xavier Williams to be picked “first round” (picks 1–32)** - Kind: Mock Draft Picks · About: Xavier Williams - Verdict: not settled yet - **Drew Mestemaker to be picked “first round” (picks 1–32)** - Kind: Mock Draft Picks · About: Drew Mestemaker - Verdict: not settled yet - **Zalance Heard to be picked “first round” (picks 1–32)** - Kind: Mock Draft Picks · About: Zalance Heard - Verdict: not settled yet ## Who this take is about - Chris Cole — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/chris-cole - Drew Mestemaker — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/drew-mestemaker - Zereoue Williams — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/zereoue-williams - Xavier Williams — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/xavier-williams - Zalance Heard — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/zalance-heard ## What others said about the same people - 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 they declare. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/2dd4bf46-e5eb-4dff-8500-95d9fdbd2986 (scored 0) - 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) - Gilberto Manzano on Zalance Heard: 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. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/980fc167-55c8-46b1-b3c4-55a2854fdb05 (not settled) - Gilberto Manzano on Xavier Williams: Manzano ranks their top 10 prospects for the 2027 NFL draft, with Ohio State receiver Jeremiah Smith at No. 1 and Texas edge Colin Simmons at No. 2, and makes several positional-order and draft-slot calls within the list. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/9e3d4872-185d-47c1-8680-4d3ac76db796 (not settled) - Charlie Campbell on Chris Cole: 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. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/f2014841-fdc3-4fd4-939d-099a3c0fca1f (not settled) - Tyler Rowland on Drew Mestemaker: 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. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/0182399b-9834-4cf0-9e84-7158e3e0be40 (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; 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. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/c0fd4647-2de8-4a5f-bac2-950fed303ee9 (scored 11.46) - Todd McShay on Keelon Russell: While breaking down LSU's offense, McShay called receiver Jackson Harris a top-50 NFL draft prospect, and later said LSU's Sam Levitt and Alabama's Keelan Russell are potential top-10 picks in a future draft. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/15d40546-2ab9-4ab8-b5bd-ed0ef7f26ae5 (scored 0) - Philip Hughes on Kyle Kennard: Evaluating edge rusher Kyle Kennard ahead of the draft, the account projected them 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 their own from the 2024 pre-draft period, they suggested the Rams could select Thomas at pick No. 19. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/627bcf5d-9f1d-4a34-a1b7-53b8f0aebc40 (scored 84.09) - 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 their 2026 mock draft. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/29bb2d31-fbe3-40db-b378-be5ba5d990b0 (scored 100) - Rob Rang on Malachi Corley: 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. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/65667ef4-80c7-4bd1-a9ae-6c7aa8eb18b7 (scored 23.94) --- 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. Full method: https://missedtakes.co/methodology We summarize what a pundit said and quote a short span for attribution; we never republish their article. If this is wrong, tell us: https://missedtakes.co/corrections?pundit=justin-melo