# JP Acosta: Acosta made the even-numbered picks in the 2026 first-round mock: Arvell Reese to the Jets at 2, Carnell Tate to the Titans at 4, Monroe Freeling to the Browns at 6, David Bailey to the Saints at 8, Caleb Downs to the Bengals at 10, Avieon Terrell to the Cowboys at 12, Vega Ioane to the Ravens at 14, Mekhi Lemon to the Jets at 16, Jermod McCoy to the Vikings at 18, Keldric Faulk to the Cowboys at 20, R Mason Thomas to the Chargers at 22, Jordan Tyson to the Browns at 24, Caden McDonald to the Bills at 26, Blake Miller to the Texans at 28, Zion Young to the Dolphins at 30, and CJ Allen to the Seahawks at 32. **Claimed:** Apr 10, 2026 **Pundit:** JP Acosta — https://missedtakes.co/pundits/jp-acosta **Outlet:** Pushing the Pile (podcast) — https://missedtakes.co/outlets/pushing-the-pile-podcast **How it reached us:** said on air, transcribed by us **Original:** https://www.podtrac.com/pts/redirect.mp3/pdst.fm/e/serve.castfire.com/audio/8174636/8174636_2026-04-12-053136.192.mp3?rssID=6037 18 checkable claims — 16 mock draft picks, 1 depth chart call and 1 position order call — each graded on its own rather than as one all-or-nothing call. It names 29 players and teams, each linked to their own record. 17 of 18 have settled so far, averaging 58.1 out of 100, against 47.8 for a naive guess at the same calls. > And Sonny Styles, to me, is the best player in this draft class. *(their words, quoted for attribution)* ## The claims - **Caleb Downs to be picked at number 10** - Kind: Mock Draft Picks · About: Caleb Downs, Cincinnati Bengals - Verdict: scored 95.76 out of 100, against 50 for a naive guess - **Monroe Freeling to be picked at number 6** - Kind: Mock Draft Picks · About: Monroe Freeling, Cleveland Browns - Verdict: scored 56.94 out of 100, against 50 for a naive guess - **Makai Lemon to be picked at number 16** - Kind: Mock Draft Picks · About: Makai Lemon, New York Jets - Verdict: scored 84.09 out of 100, against 50 for a naive guess - **C.J. Allen to be picked at number 32** - Kind: Mock Draft Picks · About: C.J. Allen, Seattle Seahawks - Verdict: scored 40.26 out of 100, against 50 for a naive guess - **Blake Miller to be picked at number 28** - Kind: Mock Draft Picks · About: Blake Miller, Houston Texans - Verdict: scored 62.09 out of 100, against 50 for a naive guess - **Jordyn Tyson to be picked at number 24** - Kind: Mock Draft Picks · About: Jordyn Tyson, Cleveland Browns - Verdict: scored 50 out of 100, against 50 for a naive guess - **Olaivavega Ioane to be picked at number 14** - Kind: Mock Draft Picks · About: Olaivavega Ioane, Baltimore Ravens - Verdict: scored 100 out of 100, against 50 for a naive guess - **Arvell Reese to be picked at number 2** - Kind: Mock Draft Picks · About: Arvell Reese, New York Jets - Verdict: scored 87.81 out of 100, against 50 for a naive guess - **Keldric Faulk to be picked at number 20** - Kind: Mock Draft Picks · About: Keldric Faulk, Dallas Cowboys - Verdict: scored 62.09 out of 100, against 50 for a naive guess - **Zion Young to be picked at number 30** - Kind: Mock Draft Picks · About: Zion Young, Miami Dolphins - Verdict: scored 52.21 out of 100, against 50 for a naive guess - **David Bailey to be picked at number 8** - Kind: Mock Draft Picks · About: David Bailey, New Orleans Saints - Verdict: scored 77.11 out of 100, against 50 for a naive guess - **Carnell Tate to be picked at number 4** - Kind: Mock Draft Picks · About: Carnell Tate, Tennessee Titans - Verdict: scored 100 out of 100, against 50 for a naive guess - **Cade McDonald to be picked at number 26** - Kind: Mock Draft Picks · About: Cade McDonald, Buffalo Bills - Verdict: scored 0 out of 100, against 50 for a naive guess - **R Mason Thomas to be picked at number 22** - Kind: Mock Draft Picks · About: R Mason Thomas, Los Angeles Chargers - Verdict: scored 45.85 out of 100, against 50 for a naive guess - **Jermod McCoy to be picked at number 18** - Kind: Mock Draft Picks · About: Jermod McCoy, Minnesota Vikings - Verdict: scored 2.74 out of 100, against 50 for a naive guess - **Avieon Terrell to be picked at number 12** - Kind: Mock Draft Picks · About: Avieon Terrell, Dallas Cowboys - Verdict: scored 21.02 out of 100, against 50 for a naive guess - **Makai Lemon to be 1st wide receiver off the board** - Kind: Position Order Calls · About: Makai Lemon, New York Jets - Verdict: scored 50 out of 100, against 12.84 for a naive guess - **Makai Lemon to be 3rd on the depth chart** - Kind: Depth Chart Calls · About: Makai Lemon, New York Jets - Verdict: not settled yet ## Who this take is about - Caleb Downs — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/caleb-downs - Cincinnati Bengals — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/bengals - Monroe Freeling — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/monroe-freeling - Cleveland Browns — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/browns - Makai Lemon — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/makai-lemon - New York Jets — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/jets - C.J. Allen — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/c-j-allen - Seattle Seahawks — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/seahawks - Blake Miller — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/blake-miller - Houston Texans — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/texans - Jordyn Tyson — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/jordyn-tyson - Olaivavega Ioane — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/olaivavega-ioane - Baltimore Ravens — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/ravens - Arvell Reese — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/arvell-reese - Keldric Faulk — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/keldric-faulk - Dallas Cowboys — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/cowboys - Zion Young — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/zion-young - Miami Dolphins — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/dolphins - David Bailey — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/david-bailey - New Orleans Saints — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/saints - Carnell Tate — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/carnell-tate - Tennessee Titans — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/titans - Cade McDonald — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/cade-mcdonald - Buffalo Bills — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/bills - R Mason Thomas — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/r-mason-thomas - Los Angeles Chargers — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/chargers - Jermod McCoy — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/jermod-mccoy - Minnesota Vikings — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/vikings - Avieon Terrell — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/avieon-terrell ## What others said about the same people - Nate Gosney on Daiyan Henley: After the Broncos rescinded the trade, Gosney expects Daiyan Henley to remain with the Chargers for the rest of the 2026 season, but believes the awkward fallout has effectively killed any chance of them signing a new contract with Los Angeles after the season. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/60272861-4ad0-4749-b36a-dcdf09b9213f (scored 0) - Jason Harmon on Max Brosmer: Harmon expects the Vikings' quarterback room to stay intact while Kyler Murray is hurt, and predicts Max Brosmer will be released and re-signed to the practice squad since Minnesota won't carry four QBs. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/fa393501-3f38-481e-8e75-48125587e911 (scored 0) - Logan Lazarczyk on Kirk Cousins: Ahead of the trade deadline, they float three Raiders moves: shipping Kirk Cousins to Minnesota if the Vikings offer a second-round pick, selling Maxx Crosby to Dallas for a first-rounder plus, and acquiring Jaguars receiver Brian Thomas Jr. for a second- or third-round pick. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/d0fd408a-7dcd-4e50-ac62-6b4510a8a800 (scored 100) - Logan Lazarczyk on Kirk Cousins: Lazarczyk expects the Raiders to be sellers before the trade deadline, suggesting Kirk Cousins could be dealt back to the Vikings and that benched interior lineman Jackson Powers-Johnson is a prime candidate to be traded somewhere. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/fda03952-2ea6-4919-8114-0ebb127478d1 (scored 100) - Charean Williams on Odell Beckham Jr.: Williams writes that after releasing Odell Beckham Jr. to open a roster spot for Kirk Cousins, the Vikings will bring them back on the practice squad. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/d4fd8cfb-3c75-4209-9e1a-d60e821f315b (scored 0) - Pete Prisco on Buffalo Bills: Prisco picked the Bills to win 21-14 at Minnesota. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/baf85732-a389-4d56-8efe-5ce1e77fb8ae (scored 76.19) ## 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=jp-acosta