John Middlekauff#48 of 87 NFL pundits · Feb 26, 2026
The former NFL scout expects a wave of veteran movement: Kansas City parting with Travis Kelce, Chris Jones and Trent McDuffie as trade candidates, Kyler Murray being cut by Arizona, and Chicago moving DJ Moore. They also call Fernando Mendoza a lock to go No. 1 overall to the Raiders.
Said on air or in an interview · The Colin Cowherd Podcast (podcast)Hear the original
What John Middlekauff said
our reading, beside the words we read it fromWell, I think it's a one hundred percent lock. Mendoza is the pick.
- Where it was said
- The Colin Cowherd Podcast (podcast)
- The episode
- NFL Draft Combine, Mendoza A Lock To Raiders At #1, Eagles Drama, Chiefs Rebuild?
- The original
- Hear the original
- Read it wrong?
- Tell us and we will look
The page this came from has changed since we captured it on Aug 5, 2026. The quote and evidence here are from our capture, not from what the page says today.
- SaidFeb 26
- GradedAug 7
- 1Fernando Mendoza to be picked at number 1“Well, I think it's a one hundred cent lock. Mendoza is the pick.”
- 2Kyler Murray to move to Arizona Cardinals“got this huge deal that is now in Albatross. Makes him untradable if he gets cut, which he's going to”
- 3Chris Jones to move to Kansas City Chiefs“I think Chris Jones could be a trade candidate. His cap number is huge.”
- 4DJ Moore to move to Chicago Bears“And I would expect Dj Moore is going to be a name that we're going to see over the next week potent because they're going to have to move an offensive piece.”
- 5Trent McDuffie to move to Kansas City Chiefs“Trent McDuffie is definitely a trade candidate.”
- 6Travis Kelce to move to Kansas City Chiefs“I think if you remove emotion, it's probably time to divorce Travis Kelce... Travis Kelcey has signed with the who knows”
Box score
HitCloseMissWaiting| Verdict | Call | Kind | What happened | Score | Naive | Skill |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fernando Mendoza to be picked at number 11 | Mock Draft Picks | Went 1 | 100 | 50 | — | |
| Kyler Murray to move to Arizona Cardinals2 | Trade and Signing Calls | — | — | — | — | |
| Chris Jones to move to Kansas City Chiefs3 | Trade and Signing Calls | — | — | — | — | |
| DJ Moore to move to Chicago Bears4 | Trade and Signing Calls | — | — | — | — | |
| Trent McDuffie to move to Kansas City Chiefs5 | Trade and Signing Calls | — | — | — | — | |
| Travis Kelce to move to Kansas City Chiefs6 | Trade and Signing Calls | — | — | — | — | |
| 6 calls · 1 hit · 5 waiting | 100 | 50 | ||||
How each call scored
a naive guessbetter than naive6 checkable claims — 5 trade and signing calls and 1 mock draft pick — each graded on its own rather than as one all-or-nothing call.
It names 10 players and teams, each linked to their own record.
1 of 6 have settled so far, averaging 100 out of 100, against 50 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.
Their call against what happened
overall pickTheir call against what actually happened.
1Mock Draft PicksFernando MendozaLas Vegas Raiders
Fernando Mendoza to be picked at number 1
What happenedWent 1mocked at 1100Hit · naive 50Think this is wrong?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
2Trade and Signing CallsKyler MurrayArizona Cardinals
Kyler Murray to move to Arizona Cardinals
VerdictWaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
3Trade and Signing CallsChris JonesKansas City Chiefs
Chris Jones to move to Kansas City Chiefs
VerdictWaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
4Trade and Signing CallsDJ MooreChicago Bears
DJ Moore to move to Chicago Bears
VerdictWaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
5Trade and Signing CallsTrent McDuffieKansas City Chiefs
Trent McDuffie to move to Kansas City Chiefs
VerdictWaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
6Trade and Signing CallsTravis KelceKansas City Chiefs
Travis Kelce to move to Kansas City Chiefs
VerdictWaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Who this take is about
Others on the same people
Chris Clark · Trade and Signing Calls · Nikko Remigio · Miss 0
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.Gilberto Manzano · Trade and Signing Calls · Josh Downs · Hit 100
Previewing the trade deadline, he expects Justin Herbert to stay in Los Angeles despite the Chargers' 0–7 start, thinks the Jets will keep Garrett Wilson and pair him with their young weapons, expects a receiver-hungry Kansas City to be aggressive with Josh Downs the likeliest target, and suggests expiring Eagles contracts Moro Ojomo and Riq Woolen could be dealt for mid-round picks.Joshua Poniatowski · Trade and Signing Calls · Josh Downs · Hit 100
Poniatowski names several trade targets, predicting Malik Willis underperforms this week against New England, that Omarion Hampton could become a viable RB2 if Adam Gase takes over play-calling, that Josh Downs gets traded (ideally to Kansas City, where they'd be a top-24 WR), that Brian Thomas Jr. could be dealt to the Rams or 49ers, and that Travis Kelce remains a consistent weekly TE.Jordan Dajani · Trade and Signing Calls · Josh Downs · Hit 100
After reporting that Colts receiver Josh Downs requested a trade, they identify five clubs as plausible landing spots for them: the Rams, Patriots, Falcons, Chiefs and Raiders, and suggests Las Vegas could also give them a long-term extension.Mike Kadlick · Trade and Signing Calls · Josh Downs · Hit 100
Kadlick names the Chiefs, Patriots and 49ers as the three best trade landing spots for Colts wide receiver Josh Downs ahead of the Nov. 10 deadline.
More trade and signing calls
The same kind of call, about other players and teams.
Nate Gosney · Trade and Signing Calls · Daiyan Henley · Miss 0
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.Logan Lazarczyk · Trade and Signing Calls · Kirk Cousins · Hit 100
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.Patricia Traina · Trade and Signing Calls · J.J. McCarthy · Hit 100
Traina expects defensive tackle to be a top need for the Giants in next year's draft, and suggests the Giants could trade J.J. McCarthy next offseason — or keep both them and Jaxson Dart if the return isn't good enough. They also expect Dart to make a full recovery.Michael David Smith · Trade and Signing Calls · Keenan Allen · Hit 100
Smith suggests the Colts are likely to grant Josh Downs' trade request given their contract situation and their recent sell-off, and that they could also try to trade Keenan Allen.Noah Compton · Trade and Signing Calls · Josh Downs · Hit 100
Compton expects the rebuilding Colts to keep dealing veterans before the November 10 deadline, naming Jonathan Taylor, Josh Downs and Grover Stewart as the likeliest remaining trade candidates, and believes Indianapolis should and likely will move on from quarterback Daniel Jones, while Shane Steichen keeps starting Jones in the meantime.