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JP Acosta#40 of 87 NFL pundits · Feb 25, 2026

Acosta says Peter Woods and Caleb Banks will be the first two defensive tackles off the board, bets on Christian Miller sneaking into the first round, has Fernando Mendoza going No. 1 overall as the clear QB1 with Ty Simpson QB2, Kenyan Suik as TE1 and Makai Lemmon as their WR1, expects Caleb Lomu to weigh around 308 pounds, and pegs Munro Freeling as a candidate to be the first offensive lineman drafted with Maxi Amator sneaking into the back of round one; they call Jermaine McCoy a sure-fire CB1 if healthy.

Said on air, transcribed by us · Pushing the Pile (podcast)Hear the original

5 of 10calls landed5 hits · 2 close calls · 3 misses · 2 waiting
65Average accuracyout of 100, across 10 calls
36.3A naive guessthe same calls, no knowledge
10 of 12Settled2 still waiting
#40JP Acosta’s rankof 87 ranked NFL pundits

What JP Acosta said

We all know Fernando Mendoza is going to go number one overall.
JP Acosta, the lead quote
The episode
10 NFL Combine Questions That Will Impact The 2026 NFL Draft
The original
Hear the original
  1. SaidFeb 25
  2. GradedAug 14–18

Box score, by kind

HitCloseMissWaiting
GroupHitsCloseMissesWaitingCalls
Combine Measurements0100
Mock Draft Picks2010
Position Order Calls3122
All5232

How each call scored

12 checkable claims — 8 position order calls, 3 mock draft picks and 1 combine measurement — each graded on its own rather than as one all-or-nothing call.

It names 12 players and teams, each linked to their own record.

10 of 12 have settled so far, averaging 65 out of 100, against 36.3 for a naive guess at the same calls.

Each call is scored 0 to 100 against what happened, on its own, by the published methodology. The naive guess is what knowing nothing would have scored on the same calls; the gap, weighted by how hard the call was, is the skill.

Combine Measurements1 close callShow ▸
  1. “I think he's gonna come in at maybe three hundred and eight pounds, which is really light for an NFL offensive tackle.”

    Caleb Lomu

    313called 308
    77.26Close

    77.26 − 79.53 naive = −2.27 × 1 difficulty = −2.27 skill

    How this was scored
    off:
    5
    drill:
    weight lbs
    naive:
    the average OT (317.44, from 132 results)
    scale:
    credit halves every 13.43 — one standard deviation for a OT
    skill:
    −2.27
    player:
    Caleb Lomu
    result:
    313
    season:
    2025
    combine year:
    2026
    accuracy:
    77.26
    baseline:
    79.53
    they said:
    308
    sigmas out:
    0.37
    difficulty:
    1
    weeks in the season:
    18
    weeks left when called:
    0

    Combine results via Pro-Football-Reference.com.

    Think this is wrong?
Mock Draft Picks2 hits · 1 missShow ▸
  1. Max Iheanachor to be picked “the back of the first round” (picks 1–32)

    “So if he runs really well, he tests really well, I could see him sneaking into the back of the first round.”

    Max Iheanachor

    Went 21
    100Hit
    How this was scored
    draft:
    2026
    naive:
    a shuffled mock scores 50
    player:
    Max Iheanachor
    season:
    2025
    zero credit this far off:
    32
    accuracy:
    100
    baseline:
    50
    actual pick:
    21
    difficulty:
    1
    weeks in the season:
    18
    pick accuracy:
    100
    predicted pick:
    the back of the first round (picks 1–32)
    weeks left when called:
    0
    mock ordering score:
    only one pick — no order to score
    Think this is wrong?
  2. Fernando Mendoza to be picked at number 1

    “We all know Fernando Mendoza is going to go number one overall.”

    Fernando Mendoza

    Went 1mocked at 1
    100Hit
    How this was scored
    draft:
    2026
    naive:
    a shuffled mock scores 50
    player:
    Fernando Mendoza
    season:
    2025
    zero credit this far off:
    32
    accuracy:
    100
    baseline:
    50
    actual pick:
    1
    difficulty:
    1
    weeks in the season:
    18
    pick accuracy:
    100
    predicted pick:
    1
    weeks left when called:
    0
    mock ordering score:
    only one pick — no order to score
    Think this is wrong?
  3. Christian Miller to be picked “first round” (picks 1–32)

    “So I would bet on Christian Miller because of the youth and because of the explosiveness (asked who would work his way into the first round)”

    Christian Miller

    Went 115
    2.74Miss
    How this was scored
    draft:
    2019
    naive:
    a shuffled mock scores 50
    player:
    Christian Miller
    season:
    2025
    zero credit this far off:
    32
    accuracy:
    2.74
    baseline:
    50
    actual pick:
    115
    difficulty:
    1
    weeks in the season:
    18
    pick accuracy:
    2.74
    predicted pick:
    first round (picks 1–32)
    weeks left when called:
    0
    mock ordering score:
    only one pick — no order to score
    Think this is wrong?
Position Order Calls3 hits · 1 close call · 2 misses · 2 waitingShow ▸
  1. Fernando Mendoza to be 1st quarterback off the board

    “He is the far and away QB one in this draft class.”

    Fernando Mendoza

    100Hit

    100 − 33.08 naive = 66.92 × 1 difficulty = +66.92 skill

    How this was scored
    draft:
    2026
    naive:
    naming one of the 10 at random averages 33.08
    skill:
    66.92
    player:
    Fernando Mendoza
    season:
    2025
    zero credit this far off:
    credit halves every two places
    accuracy:
    100
    baseline:
    33.08
    position:
    quarterback
    class size:
    10
    difficulty:
    1
    weeks in the season:
    18
    actual order:
    1
    predicted order:
    1
    weeks left when called:
    0
    Think this is wrong?
  2. Jermod McCoy to be 1st cornerback off the board

    “I think he is sure fired c b one in this class if everything checks out and he's healthy.”

    Jermod McCoyTennessee Titans

    2.21Miss

    2.21 − 21.34 naive = −19.13 × 1 difficulty = −19.13 skill

    How this was scored
    draft:
    2026
    naive:
    naming one of the 27 at random averages 21.34
    skill:
    −19.13
    player:
    Jermod McCoy
    season:
    2025
    zero credit this far off:
    credit halves every two places
    accuracy:
    2.21
    baseline:
    21.34
    position:
    cornerback
    class size:
    27
    difficulty:
    1
    weeks in the season:
    18
    actual order:
    12
    predicted order:
    1
    weeks left when called:
    0
    Think this is wrong?
  3. Ty Simpson to be 2nd quarterback off the board

    “So I think right now QB two is Ty Simpson”

    Ty Simpson

    100Hit

    100 − 39.7 naive = 60.3 × 1 difficulty = +60.3 skill

    How this was scored
    draft:
    2026
    naive:
    naming one of the 10 at random averages 39.7
    skill:
    60.3
    player:
    Ty Simpson
    season:
    2025
    zero credit this far off:
    credit halves every two places
    accuracy:
    100
    baseline:
    39.7
    position:
    quarterback
    class size:
    10
    difficulty:
    1
    weeks in the season:
    18
    actual order:
    2
    predicted order:
    2
    weeks left when called:
    0
    Think this is wrong?
  4. Kenyon Sadiq to be 1st tight end off the board

    “Because we already know Kenyan Suik is tight end one”

    Kenyon Sadiq

    100Hit

    100 − 15.51 naive = 84.49 × 1 difficulty = +84.49 skill

    How this was scored
    draft:
    2026
    naive:
    naming one of the 22 at random averages 15.51
    skill:
    84.49
    player:
    Kenyon Sadiq
    season:
    2025
    zero credit this far off:
    credit halves every two places
    accuracy:
    100
    baseline:
    15.51
    position:
    tight end
    class size:
    22
    difficulty:
    1
    weeks in the season:
    18
    actual order:
    1
    predicted order:
    1
    weeks left when called:
    0
    Think this is wrong?
  5. Monroe Freeling to be 1st offensive lineman off the board

    “I actually think Munro Freeling has a really good chance to be the the first offensive lineman off the board come April”

    Monroe Freeling

    17.68Miss

    17.68 − 10.8 naive = 6.88 × 1 difficulty = +6.87 skill

    How this was scored
    draft:
    2026
    naive:
    naming one of the 50 at random averages 10.8
    skill:
    6.87
    player:
    Monroe Freeling
    season:
    2025
    zero credit this far off:
    credit halves every two places
    accuracy:
    17.68
    baseline:
    10.8
    position:
    offensive lineman
    class size:
    50
    difficulty:
    1
    weeks in the season:
    18
    actual order:
    6
    predicted order:
    1
    weeks left when called:
    0
    Think this is wrong?
  6. Makai Lemon to be 1st wide receiver off the board

    “Makai Lemmon is actually my wide receiver one so far in this draft class”

    Makai Lemon

    50Close

    50 − 12.84 naive = 37.16 × 1 difficulty = +37.16 skill

    How this was scored
    draft:
    2026
    naive:
    naming one of the 36 at random averages 12.84
    skill:
    37.16
    player:
    Makai Lemon
    season:
    2025
    zero credit this far off:
    credit halves every two places
    accuracy:
    50
    baseline:
    12.84
    position:
    wide receiver
    class size:
    36
    difficulty:
    1
    weeks in the season:
    18
    actual order:
    3
    predicted order:
    1
    weeks left when called:
    0
    Think this is wrong?
  7. Peter Woods to be one of the first two defensive tackles to go off the board defensive tackle off the board

    “there's Peter Woods from Clemson, Caleb Banks from Florida. Those feel like the first two guys that are going to go off the board come April when it comes to the defensive tackle class.”

    Peter Woods

    —Waiting

    Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.

  8. Caleb Banks to be one of the first two defensive tackles to go off the board defensive tackle off the board

    “Those feel like the first two guys that are going to go off the board come April when it comes to the defensive tackle class.”

    Caleb Banks

    —Waiting

    Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.

Others on the same people

More position order calls

The same kind of call, about other players and teams.