# Mel Kiper: Kiper's latest mock draft, as relayed on the show, has Caleb Downs second to the Jets, Karnell Tate sixth to the Browns, Spencer Fano fifth to the Giants, Mauigoa 11th to the Dolphins, Jeremiah Love ninth to the Chiefs, Ty Simpson 20th to the Steelers, plus Makai Lemmon, Jordan Tyson and Denzel Boston in the first round. **Claimed:** Feb 27, 2026 **Pundit:** Mel Kiper — https://missedtakes.co/pundits/mel-kiper **Outlet:** NFL Live (podcast) — https://missedtakes.co/outlets/nfl-live-podcast **How it reached us:** said on air, transcribed by us **Original:** https://www.podtrac.com/pts/redirect.mp3/traffic.megaphone.fm/ESP1672265149.mp3?updated=1772229952 9 checkable claims — 9 mock draft picks — each graded on its own rather than as one all-or-nothing call. It names 18 players and teams, each linked to their own record. All 9 have settled, averaging 81 out of 100, against 50 for a naive guess at the same calls. > Mel Kiper's latest mock has him landing in Kansas City with the ninth pick. *(their words, quoted for attribution)* ## The claims - **Ty Simpson to be picked at number 20** - Kind: Mock Draft Picks · About: Ty Simpson, Pittsburgh Steelers - Verdict: scored 73.84 out of 100, against 50 for a naive guess - **Carnell Tate to be picked at number 6** - Kind: Mock Draft Picks · About: Carnell Tate, Cleveland Browns - Verdict: scored 91.7 out of 100, against 50 for a naive guess - **Francis Mauigoa to be picked at number 11** - Kind: Mock Draft Picks · About: Francis Mauigoa, Miami Dolphins - Verdict: scored 95.76 out of 100, against 50 for a naive guess - **Caleb Downs to be picked at number 2** - Kind: Mock Draft Picks · About: Caleb Downs, New York Jets - Verdict: scored 67.71 out of 100, against 50 for a naive guess - **Denzel Boston to be picked “first round” (picks 1–32)** - Kind: Mock Draft Picks · About: Denzel Boston, Buffalo Bills - Verdict: scored 73.84 out of 100, against 50 for a naive guess - **Jeremiyah Love to be picked at number 9** - Kind: Mock Draft Picks · About: Jeremiyah Love, Kansas City Chiefs - Verdict: scored 77.11 out of 100, against 50 for a naive guess - **Jordyn Tyson to be picked “first round” (picks 1–32)** - Kind: Mock Draft Picks · About: Jordyn Tyson, Baltimore Ravens - Verdict: scored 100 out of 100, against 50 for a naive guess - **Makai Lemon to be picked “in the top 10 to the Saints” (picks 1–10)** - Kind: Mock Draft Picks · About: Makai Lemon, New Orleans Saints - Verdict: scored 64.84 out of 100, against 50 for a naive guess - **Spencer Fano to be picked at number 5** - Kind: Mock Draft Picks · About: Spencer Fano, New York Giants - Verdict: scored 84.09 out of 100, against 50 for a naive guess ## Who this take is about - Ty Simpson — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/ty-simpson - Pittsburgh Steelers — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/steelers - Carnell Tate — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/carnell-tate - Cleveland Browns — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/browns - Francis Mauigoa — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/francis-mauigoa - Miami Dolphins — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/dolphins - Caleb Downs — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/caleb-downs - New York Jets — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/jets - Denzel Boston — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/denzel-boston - Buffalo Bills — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/bills - Jeremiyah Love — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/jeremiyah-love - Kansas City Chiefs — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/chiefs - Jordyn Tyson — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/jordyn-tyson - Baltimore Ravens — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/ravens - Makai Lemon — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/makai-lemon - New Orleans Saints — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/saints - Spencer Fano — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/spencer-fano - New York Giants — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/giants ## What others said about the same people - Chris Clark on Nikko Remigio: Clark expects the Chiefs to bring back exclusive-rights receiver Nico (Remigio) and long snapper James Winchester, to re-sign JuJu Smith-Schuster as a cheap veteran fifth receiver, and not to bring back Hollywood Brown, Josh Dobbs-type depth, Gardner Minshew, Janarius Robinson or Mike Caliendo; they also say the Chiefs will not use a franchise tag and believes Bryan Cook won't return. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/99521265-d5c0-4db1-b2a0-fe77908ea0b3 (scored 0) - Sam Monson on New York Giants: Monson picked every Week 10 game, taking the Giants, Lions, Packers, Panthers, Colts, Texans, Bills, Chiefs, Jaguars, Seahawks, Rams, Cowboys, Bengals and Ravens, and also suggested the Chargers' only likely wins the rest of the way come against the Jets and Dolphins. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/f4cb7a1e-1380-4f08-b39b-1432b97db846 (scored 0) - Pete Prisco on New York Giants: Prisco picks the Giants to beat the Commanders 23-14 on Thursday night and the Lions to beat the Patriots 30-24 in Munich. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/e142b910-0967-4de9-9429-c342bc079205 (scored 35.71) - Jared Dubin on New York Giants: Dubin picks the Giants to beat the Commanders 20-14 on Thursday night and takes the Packers over the Vikings 17-14 in a low-scoring Week 10 game. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/04562aeb-eccf-4266-be8e-32a3aacfd6fc (scored 42.86) - Jared Dubin on New York Giants: Dubin picks the Giants to beat the Commanders at home on Thursday night, projecting a 20-14 final score. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/b6c19276-74df-4775-8a6e-f67c6d94b773 (scored 42.86) - Pete Prisco on New York Giants: Prisco picked the Giants to beat the Commanders at home in the Thursday night Week 10 game, 23-14, citing New York's dominant front seven containing Jayden Daniels. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/07b5aad4-57ad-4195-bc69-66b1abec33a0 (scored 35.71) ## 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=mel-kiper