# Mike Renner: A CBS Sports scouting piece ranks the top 10 linebackers of the 2027 NFL Draft class, assigning early draft grades to each: Sammy Brown as the clear LB1 with a first-round grade, Atkins and Viliamu-Asa on early Day 2, and a cluster of early Day 3 grades. It also predicts Tennessee's Arion Carter will be drafted among the top 10 linebackers whenever they declare. **Claimed:** Aug 4, 2026 **Pundit:** Mike Renner — https://missedtakes.co/pundits/mike-renner **Outlet:** CBS Sports — https://missedtakes.co/outlets/cbs-sports **How it reached us:** published in writing **Original:** https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/draft/news/2027-nfl-draft-linebacker-rankings/ 13 checkable claims — 10 mock draft picks, 2 position order calls and 1 top player list — each graded on its own rather than as one all-or-nothing call. It names 11 players and teams, each linked to their own record. None of them have settled yet — they grade once their results are in. > The No. 1 prospect in the class I don't see changing, though, as he could play his way into a top half of Round 1 selection. *(their words, quoted for attribution)* ## The claims - **Xavier Atkins to be picked “Early Day 2” (picks 33–67)** - Kind: Mock Draft Picks · About: Xavier Atkins - Verdict: not settled yet - **Jalen Graham to be picked “Early Day 3” (picks 101–179)** - Kind: Mock Draft Picks · About: Jalen Graham - Verdict: not settled yet - **Suntarine Perkins to be picked “Day 2” (picks 33–100)** - Kind: Mock Draft Picks · About: Suntarine Perkins - Verdict: not settled yet - **Sammy Brown to be picked “Round 1”** - Kind: Mock Draft Picks · About: Sammy Brown - Verdict: not settled yet - “Top 10 linebackers of the 2027 draft class, ranked from Sammy Brown (Clemson) through Jordan Hall (Michigan State), with Perkins noted as "No. 5 on this list".” - Kind: Top Player Lists - Verdict: not settled yet - **Arion Carter to be among the top 10 linebackers linebacker off the board** - Kind: Position Order Calls · About: Arion Carter - Verdict: not settled yet - **Fred Johnson to be picked “Early Day 3” (picks 101–179)** - Kind: Mock Draft Picks · About: Fred Johnson - Verdict: not settled yet - **West Weeks to be picked “Early Day 3” (picks 101–179)** - Kind: Mock Draft Picks · About: West Weeks - Verdict: not settled yet - **Tony Rojas to be picked “Day 2” (picks 33–100)** - Kind: Mock Draft Picks · About: Tony Rojas - Verdict: not settled yet - **Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa to be picked “Early Day 2” (picks 33–67)** - Kind: Mock Draft Picks · About: Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa - Verdict: not settled yet - **Jordan Hall to be picked “Early Day 3” (picks 101–179)** - Kind: Mock Draft Picks · About: Jordan Hall - Verdict: not settled yet - **Cade Uluave to be picked “Early Day 3” (picks 101–179)** - Kind: Mock Draft Picks · About: Cade Uluave - Verdict: not settled yet - **Sammy Brown to be 1st linebacker off the board** - Kind: Position Order Calls · About: Sammy Brown - Verdict: not settled yet ## Who this take is about - Xavier Atkins — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/xavier-atkins - Jalen Graham — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/jalen-graham - Suntarine Perkins — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/suntarine-perkins - Sammy Brown — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/sammy-brown - Arion Carter — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/arion-carter - Fred Johnson — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/fred-johnson - West Weeks — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/west-weeks - Tony Rojas — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/tony-rojas - Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/kyngstonn-viliamu-asa - Jordan Hall — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/jordan-hall - Cade Uluave — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/cade-uluave ## What others said about the same people - Brian Peacock on Jalen Graham: Peacock lays out their projected 53-man roster for the 49ers, position by position: three specialists, three quarterbacks (including Curtis Rourke), five running backs, six receivers (cutting Christian Kirk), three tight ends (cutting Braden Willis), nine offensive linemen, ten defensive linemen (with Mykel Williams on PUP), five linebackers, six cornerbacks and four safeties. They also predict a new player will take center snaps in preseason week three. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/62e9aad7-105c-45a0-95b3-3b43b64603ae (scored 0) - Tom Jensen on Jalen Graham: Jensen projects the 49ers' final 53-man roster ahead of the August 30 cutdown, naming a long list of players they expect to be released outright, another group they expect to be cut and return on the practice squad ("boomerang cuts"), and three borderline players (Jordan James, Jacob Cowing, James Thompson Jr.) they believe San Francisco will keep. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/30bfad12-5ff9-49d2-8849-9df9b47a054d (scored 0) - Jeff Kerr on Fred Johnson: Kerr assesses which Eagles have played their way onto or off the initial 53-man roster, projecting roster spots for Willie Lampkin, Drew Kendall, Ty Robinson and others, depth-chart placements for Kendall, Will Shipley, Markel Bell and Jeremiah Trotter Jr., and trouble for Andy Dalton, Rocco Underwood, Micah Morris and Andre Sam. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/9713f8d3-c3a7-41e5-b120-737be5b73cb8 (scored 100) - Jeff Kerr on Fred Johnson: Previewing the Eagles' joint practices with the Patriots, Kerr identifies bubble players and where they stand: Will Shipley as the front-runner for RB3, Ty Robinson as the No. 5 defensive tackle, and both Fred Johnson and Kelee Ringo as likely to make the 53-man roster. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/ca4b39b8-b9ca-41f4-b360-6d98fa7e247c (scored 100) - Jeff Kerr on Fred Johnson: In their second Eagles 53-man roster projection nine practices into training camp, Kerr names 35 roster locks and eight more players likely to make the team, plus depth-chart calls at backup quarterback, RB3, No. 3 guard and backup center. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/4e6e81fc-dc8e-4cb6-87ad-d62d4f5b85bf (scored 100) - Jeff Kerr on Fred Johnson: Kerr's updated 53-man roster projection for the Eagles after eight training camp practices, naming which players make the team at each position plus depth-chart placements like Wicks as WR2, Mundt as TE2, Kendall as third guard, Bell as third tackle, and Epps/Carter battling to start at safety. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/328a952b-d6b4-4065-aac9-0029421fb50f (scored 100) ## 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) - 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) - 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) --- 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=mike-renner