# Daniel Wade: In a trade-back mock draft, Wade has the Chargers deal pick 22 to Miami and select edge rusher Cassius Howell at 30, guard Keelan Rutledge at 55, cornerback Malik Muhammad at 86, wide receiver Brennan Thompson at 87, linebacker Keyshawn Elliott at 123, and offensive tackle Travis Burke at 151. **Claimed:** Apr 13, 2026 **Pundit:** Daniel Wade — https://missedtakes.co/pundits/daniel-wade **Outlet:** Locked On Chargers (podcast) — https://missedtakes.co/outlets/locked-on-chargers-podcast **How it reached us:** said on air, transcribed by us **Original:** https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/pdrl.fm/d1cedf/lockedon.simplecastaudio.com/709e5c37-556a-46ea-9cab-c0d0267c4589/episodes/20bf4783-0a87-49ab-aeaf-c3d647457006/audio/128/default.mp3?aid=rss_feed&awCollectionId=709e5c37-556a-46ea-9cab-c0d0267c4589&awEpisodeId=20bf4783-0a87-49ab-aeaf-c3d647457006&feed=A8M6ytRb 8 checkable claims — 8 mock draft picks — each graded on its own rather than as one all-or-nothing bet. It names 8 players and teams, each linked to their own record. All 8 have settled, averaging 33.5 out of 100, against 50 for a naive guess at the same calls. > And with pick 30, we ended up going with an edge rusher we haven't talked about yet. Cassius Howell, the explosive Texas a and m edge rusher. *(their words, quoted for attribution)* ## The claims - **Keylan Rutledge to be picked at number 55** - Kind: Mock Draft Picks · About: Keylan Rutledge, Los Angeles Chargers - Verdict: scored 28.47 out of 100, against 50 for a naive guess - **Cashius Howell to be picked at number 30** - Kind: Mock Draft Picks · About: Cashius Howell, Los Angeles Chargers - Verdict: scored 62.09 out of 100, against 50 for a naive guess - **Malik Muhammad to be picked at number 86** - Kind: Mock Draft Picks · About: Malik Muhammad, Los Angeles Chargers - Verdict: scored 19.28 out of 100, against 50 for a naive guess - **Keylan Rutledge to be picked “second round pick” (picks 33–64)** - Kind: Mock Draft Picks · About: Keylan Rutledge - Verdict: scored 73.84 out of 100, against 50 for a naive guess - **Travis Burke to be picked at number 151** - Kind: Mock Draft Picks · About: Travis Burke, Los Angeles Chargers - Verdict: scored 22.93 out of 100, against 50 for a naive guess - **Brenen Thompson to be picked at number 87** - Kind: Mock Draft Picks · About: Brenen Thompson, Los Angeles Chargers - Verdict: scored 45.85 out of 100, against 50 for a naive guess - **Jeremiah Smith to be picked “top five pick” (picks 1–5)** - Kind: Mock Draft Picks · About: Jeremiah Smith - Verdict: scored 0 out of 100, against 50 for a naive guess - **Keyshaun Elliott to be picked at number 123** - Kind: Mock Draft Picks · About: Keyshaun Elliott, Los Angeles Chargers - Verdict: scored 15.52 out of 100, against 50 for a naive guess ## Who this take is about - Keylan Rutledge — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/keylan-rutledge - Los Angeles Chargers — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/chargers - Cashius Howell — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/cashius-howell - Malik Muhammad — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/malik-muhammad - Travis Burke — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/travis-burke - Brenen Thompson — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/brenen-thompson - Jeremiah Smith — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/jeremiah-smith - Keyshaun Elliott — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/keyshaun-elliott ## What others said about the same people - Sam Monson on Los Angeles Chargers: Monson picked the Chargers to beat the Bills outright (jokingly crediting Buffalo's gray 'Nickel City' jerseys), took the Vikings to win outright in Tampa, and said Seattle would destroy Washington. He also reiterated his Super Bowl pick of Denver over the Rams, called the Dolphins destined for the No. 1 overall pick, and said the Saints are a worst-to-first candidate in the NFC South. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/0b810ffd-fd93-4ea2-a208-b1353dea5fb0 (scored 0) - David Droegemeier on Mekhi Becton: Drogemeier says the Chargers cutting Mekhi Becton is a foregone conclusion, freeing nearly $9 million in cap space, and only a matter of when. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/c5f92029-fa26-4c4f-9c27-ab127b7301a8 (scored 100) - Mina Kimes on Mekhi Becton: Kimes projects Washington receiver Denzel Boston as a second-half-of-the-first-round pick and expects the Chargers to move on from Mekhi Becton. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/313774ec-4795-434d-9f21-6ec534873000 (scored 100) - Eric Mangini on Los Angeles Chargers: In his taped upset alert, the coach took the winless Chargers to beat the undefeated Bills, citing Los Angeles' desperation and Buffalo's leaky defense. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/c5e9288a-a752-4236-889e-edc171b86264 (scored 0) - Eric Williams on Los Angeles Chargers: Williams picks the Chargers as the 0-2 team to rebound, comparing it to the 2017 team that started 0-4 and finished 9-7, and suggests they will rise up on the road against Buffalo rather than collapse. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/57fe59dc-bfbb-44cb-8e4c-191db478fce2 (scored 0) - David Droegemeier on Los Angeles Chargers: Drogmeier also buys the Chargers as a top-five offense, thinks Ladd McConkie reaching roughly 100 catches/top-five in receptions is realistic, predicts the Chargers beat the Bills, projects six to eight and a half sacks for Justin Eboigbe, and expects Khalil Mack to retire after the season. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/7a3cf9e0-2957-4862-822e-56206f199c8f (scored 0) ## More mock draft picks The same kind of call, about other players and teams. - Ryan Wilson on J.J. McCarthy: Recalling his pre-draft evaluation, Wilson notes he had ranked J.J. McCarthy as the fifth quarterback in the 2024 class and given him a second-round grade rather than a first-round one, citing the gap between Michigan's system and NFL demands. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/44cc5859-8b2b-4fbf-b5c0-62c635f2e357 (scored 36.92) - Lance Zierlein on Jeremiyah Love: Zierlein laid out his final mock draft: Jeremiah Love at No. 3 to Arizona, Sonny Styles at No. 4 to Robert Saleh's team, and Caleb Downs to the Giants at No. 5. He also called Styles the only first-round linebacker in the class and said Ty Simpson is a lock to be a first-round pick, most likely to Arizona. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/cf600df8-87eb-492b-9d91-f7a2b39104ac (scored 100) - Nick Shook on Max Iheanachor: Shook walks through his full first-round mock draft, assigning a prospect to every pick from No. 1 to No. 32, headlined by Fernando Mendoza to the Raiders, David Bailey to the Jets and Jeremiah Love to the Cardinals in the top three. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/7d4209aa-2e2d-47a2-b6e5-791d16d209cb (scored 87.81) - Gregg Rosenthal on K.C. Concepcion: Rosenthal disagrees most with Casey Concepcion being left out of the first round, arguing he could go as high as the top 15 and certainly won't last past receiver-needy teams in the late twenties. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/8fae9a3a-7fd8-454c-99cc-0a8400c35d7d (scored 67.71) - Daniel Jeremiah on Keyron Crawford: In discussing teams without first-round picks, Jeremiah projected specific Day 2 picks: Clemson WR Antonio Williams to the Falcons at 48, Texas Tech LB Jacob Rodriguez to the Colts in the second round, Oklahoma edge R Mason Thomas to the Packers at 52, and Auburn edge Keiroon Crawford to the Broncos at 62. He also expects Riley Leonard to open as the Colts' starting QB and Travis Hunter to play cornerback full time in Jacksonville. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/f60c916c-1b5f-4252-8733-1770c7809577 (scored 80.52) - Daniel Jeremiah on Carnell Tate: Jeremiah says Denver, not Kansas City, will be the clear favorite in the AFC West this season; he also puts Carnell Tate sixth and Monroe Freeling twentieth on his prospect board, mocks Tate to Cleveland at No. 6, and expects Georgia receiver Branch to be a Day 2 pick after a strong pro day. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/48a1d189-dc0f-4250-aa3b-0e27119c733a (scored 91.7) --- 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=daniel-wade