Charlie Campbell· Sep 17, 2026
A college-to-NFL draft preview assesses prospects in three Week 4 games, naming several as potential first-rounders in the next draft and others as mid-round or Day 2 prospects.
“Heldt could be a first-round pick next year, but the Tar Heels' defensive linemen started the year strong and have mid-round potential, especially Abou Jaoude.”
published in writing · Walter Football · read the original →
9 checkable claims — 9 mock draft picks — each graded on its own rather than as one all-or-nothing bet.
It names 9 players and teams, each linked to their own record.
None of them have settled yet — they grade once their results are in.
Where do you stand? Pick this and every open claim on Picks →
Who this take is about
9 checkable claims in this take
Each one is scored on its own against the published methodology. A pundit naming several outcomes is graded on each, not on all-or-nothing.
- Mock Draft PicksWill HeldtSep 17, 2026
Will Heldt to be picked “first-round pick” (picks 1–32)
“Heldt could be a first-round pick next year”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Mock Draft PicksSam LeavittSep 17, 2026
Sam Leavitt to be picked “first-round pick next April” (picks 1–32)
“Leavitt could be a first-round pick next April”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Mock Draft PicksKewan LacySep 17, 2026
Kewan Lacy to be picked “first-round picks next April” (picks 1–32)
“Lacy, Echoles, and Green could be first-round picks next April.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Mock Draft PicksWill EcholesSep 17, 2026
Will Echoles to be picked “first-round picks next April” (picks 1–32)
“Lacy, Echoles, and Green could be first-round picks next April.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Mock Draft PicksTrey'Dez GreenSep 17, 2026
Trey'Dez Green to be picked “first-round picks next April” (picks 1–32)
“Lacy, Echoles, and Green could be first-round picks next April.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Mock Draft PicksTrinidad ChamblissSep 17, 2026
Trinidad Chambliss to be picked “day-two prospect”
“Chambliss might be a day-two prospect, but Chambliss could rise with the QB-hungry NFL”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Mock Draft PicksJa'Bril RawlsSep 17, 2026
Ja'Bril Rawls to be picked “early-rounders next April”
“another good matchup with Rawls taking on Coleman-Williams. Both of them could be early-rounders next April.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Mock Draft PicksRyan Coleman-WilliamsSep 17, 2026
Ryan Coleman-Williams to be picked “early-rounders next April”
“Both of them could be early-rounders next April.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Mock Draft PicksYhonzae PierreSep 17, 2026
Yhonzae Pierre to be picked “first-round pick next April” (picks 1–32)
“Chaplin is going to see a tough test with Pierre, who could be a first-round pick next April.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
What others said about the same people
- Colin CowherdMock Draft Picks · Trinidad ChamblissMiss · 0Cowherd's postseason 'Blazing 5' picks: Rams over Panthers 33-20, Bears over Packers 27-24, Jaguars over Bills 27-13, Eagles over 49ers 28-20, and Indiana over Oregon 33-28. He also predicts the Rams win the wild card game again, says Detroit would return to 13 wins with Mike McDaniel as OC, and that Mendoza and Dante Moore would be the top two QBs in the draft.
- Ryan TracyMock Draft Picks · Trinidad ChamblissMiss · 0Tracy argues the Chiefs should address edge rusher and defensive tackle via the draft and use free agency on running back and wide receiver; he names Brian Robinson as his target, expects Kenneth Walker III to re-sign with Seattle, thinks Nick Bolton-style veterans like Jerry Tillery, Derek Nnadi and Mike Pennel shouldn't return, believes Bryan Cook is a top-10 safety the Chiefs can't afford, and predicts a quarterback (Trinidad Chambliss) will rocket up boards so more than one QB goes in the top 10.
- David PollackMock Draft Picks · Trinidad ChamblissPendingPollack argued that Ole Miss quarterback Trinidad Chambliss is being overlooked, calling him a certain top-15 selection and the best quarterback in the upcoming draft class, with only Drew Mestemaker as a possible challenger.
- John MiddlekauffCombine Measurements · Trinidad ChamblissPendingReacting to the Packers' blowout loss at Lambeau, Middlekauff said Green Bay's own pick (now owned by the Jets) will land somewhere between 7 and 12 overall, picked Cincinnati to beat Pittsburgh and expected Seattle and Kansas City to roll over Washington and Miami. He also guessed Ole Miss QB Trinidad Chambliss would run about a 4.48-4.50 forty, said Seattle won't trade Drew Lock, and expected Sam Darnold to play in Week 3.
- Rob RangMock Draft Picks · Trinidad ChamblissPendingRang argues Ole Miss quarterback Trinidad Chambliss is the best QB in college football and that, if the draft were held today, he would be a first-round pick and possibly the first quarterback selected in the 2027 class.
- Justin MeloPosition Order Calls · Will EcholesPendingMelo argues Ole Miss quarterback Trinidad Chambliss is building toward first-round status, and that Ole Miss defensive tackle Will Echoles is the early favorite to be the first DT taken in the 2027 draft.
More mock draft picks
The same kind of call, about other players and teams.
- Ryan WilsonMock Draft Picks · J.J. McCarthyMiss · 37Recalling 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.
- Lance ZierleinMock Draft Picks · Jeremiyah LoveHit · 100Zierlein 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.
- Nick ShookMock Draft Picks · Max IheanachorHit · 88Shook 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.
- Gregg RosenthalMock Draft Picks · K.C. ConcepcionClose · 68Rosenthal 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.
- Daniel JeremiahMock Draft Picks · Keyron CrawfordHit · 81In 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.
- Daniel JeremiahMock Draft Picks · Carnell TateHit · 92Jeremiah 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.