JP Acosta#40 of 87 NFL pundits · Apr 8, 2026
Acosta offers draft-range calls on several prospects: Mike Washington sneaking into the top 100, a cluster of nose tackles going late Day 1/Day 2, Dylan Thieneman rising to Day 1, Arizona safeties on Day 2, Jayshawn Barham as a Day 2/early Day 3 pick, and Jermaine McCoy as the first cornerback drafted with all three top corners going in the first round.
Said on air, transcribed by us · Pushing the Pile (podcast)Hear the original
What JP Acosta said
I have all three of them as first rounders, but I think McCoy should be the first corner off the board even with that ACL injury.
- Where it was said
- Pushing the Pile (podcast)
- The episode
- Ranking EVERY 2026 NFL Draft Position Group From Worst To Best
- The original
- Hear the original
- Read it wrong?
- Tell us and we will look
- SaidApr 8
- GradedAug 14
Box score, by kind
HitCloseMissWaiting| Group | Hits | Close | Misses | Waiting | Calls |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mock Draft Picks | 1 | 1 | 2 | 9 | |
| Position Order Calls | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
| All | 1 | 1 | 3 | 9 |
How each call scored
14 checkable claims — 13 mock draft picks and 1 position order call — each graded on its own rather than as one all-or-nothing call.
It names 13 players and teams, each linked to their own record.
5 of 14 have settled so far, averaging 39.2 out of 100, against 44.3 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.
Their call against what happened
overall pickTheir call against what actually happened.
Mock Draft Picks1 hit · 1 close call · 2 misses · 9 waitingShow ▸Hide ▾
Jermod McCoy to be picked “first round” (picks 1–32)
“I have all three of them as first rounders”
Went 1015.03MissThink this is wrong?How this was scored
- draft:
- 2026
- naive:
- a shuffled mock scores 50
- player:
- Jermod McCoy
- season:
- 2026
- zero credit this far off:
- 32
- accuracy:
- 5.03
- baseline:
- 50
- actual pick:
- 101
- difficulty:
- 1
- weeks in the season:
- 18
- pick accuracy:
- 5.03
- predicted pick:
- first round (picks 1–32)
- weeks left when called:
- 0
- mock ordering score:
- only one pick — no order to score
Avieon Terrell to be picked “first round” (picks 1–32)
“I have all three of them as first rounders”
Went 4850CloseThink this is wrong?How this was scored
- draft:
- 2026
- naive:
- a shuffled mock scores 50
- player:
- Avieon Terrell
- season:
- 2026
- zero credit this far off:
- 32
- accuracy:
- 50
- baseline:
- 50
- actual pick:
- 48
- difficulty:
- 1
- weeks in the season:
- 18
- pick accuracy:
- 50
- predicted pick:
- first round (picks 1–32)
- weeks left when called:
- 0
- mock ordering score:
- only one pick — no order to score
Mansoor Delane to be picked “first round” (picks 1–32)
“I have all three of them as first rounders”
Went 6100HitThink this is wrong?How this was scored
- draft:
- 2026
- naive:
- a shuffled mock scores 50
- player:
- Mansoor Delane
- season:
- 2026
- zero credit this far off:
- 32
- accuracy:
- 100
- baseline:
- 50
- actual pick:
- 6
- difficulty:
- 1
- weeks in the season:
- 18
- pick accuracy:
- 100
- predicted pick:
- first round (picks 1–32)
- weeks left when called:
- 0
- mock ordering score:
- only one pick — no order to score
Mike Washington to be picked “top 100” (picks 1–100)
“I think I might be a little higher on the potential of Arkansas's Mike Washington to get into the top 100 because, like, six one two twenty three running four three, he's probably gonna get drafted higher”
Went 12238.56MissThink this is wrong?How this was scored
- draft:
- 2026
- naive:
- a shuffled mock scores 50
- player:
- Mike Washington
- season:
- 2026
- zero credit this far off:
- 32
- accuracy:
- 38.56
- baseline:
- 50
- actual pick:
- 122
- difficulty:
- 1
- weeks in the season:
- 18
- pick accuracy:
- 38.56
- predicted pick:
- top 100 (picks 1–100)
- weeks left when called:
- 0
- mock ordering score:
- only one pick — no order to score
Genesis Smith to be picked “day two”
“Trajan Stukes, Genesis Smith, both guys from Arizona who I think are gonna get picked day two”
—WaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Domonique Orange to be picked “day two, late day one range”
“there's a log jam of nose tackles with Lee Hunter, Kaden McDonald, Christian Miller, Dominic Orange, Dale Jackson Junior, all sort of like clumped in that day two, late day one range”
—WaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Lee Hunter to be picked “day two, late day one range”
“there's a log jam of nose tackles with Lee Hunter, Kaden McDonald, Christian Miller, Dominic Orange, Dale Jackson Junior, all sort of like clumped in that day two, late day one range”
—WaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Treydan Stukes to be picked “day two”
“Trajan Stukes, Genesis Smith, both guys from Arizona who I think are gonna get picked day two”
—WaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Jaishawn Barham to be picked “day two, like, early day three pick”
“Jayshawn Barham could be a guy that we look back on as a day two, like, early day three pick.”
—WaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Christian Miller to be picked “day two, late day one range”
“there's a log jam of nose tackles with Lee Hunter, Kaden McDonald, Christian Miller, Dominic Orange, Dale Jackson Junior, all sort of like clumped in that day two, late day one range”
—WaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Dillon Thieneman to be picked “day one”
“but I think because of how he tested, he's going to be a day one guy”
—WaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Kayden McDonald to be picked “day two, late day one range”
“there's a log jam of nose tackles with Lee Hunter, Kaden McDonald, Christian Miller, Dominic Orange, Dale Jackson Junior, all sort of like clumped in that day two, late day one range”
—WaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Darrell Jackson to be picked “day two, late day one range”
“there's a log jam of nose tackles with Lee Hunter, Kaden McDonald, Christian Miller, Dominic Orange, Dale Jackson Junior, all sort of like clumped in that day two, late day one range”
—WaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Position Order Calls1 missShow ▸Hide ▾
Jermod McCoy to be 1st cornerback off the board
“but I think McCoy should be the first corner off the board even with that ACL injury”
2.21Miss2.21 − 21.34 naive = −19.13 × 1 difficulty = −19.13 skill
Think this is wrong?How this was scored
- draft:
- 2026
- naive:
- naming one of the 27 at random averages 21.34
- skill:
- −19.13
- player:
- Jermod McCoy
- season:
- 2026
- 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
Who this take is about
Jermod McCoy, Avieon Terrell, Mansoor Delane, Mike Washington, Genesis Smith, Domonique Orange, Lee Hunter, Treydan Stukes, Jaishawn Barham, Christian Miller, Dillon Thieneman, Kayden McDonald, Darrell Jackson
Others on the same people
Ross Jackson · Mock Draft Picks · Mansoor Delane · Hit 92
Jackson predicts the Saints will stay put and pick at No. 8 overall rather than trading up, and after Mickey Loomis' press conference they now lean toward New Orleans taking a defensive back there — either LSU cornerback Mansoor Delaine or Ohio State safety Caleb Downs — while still viewing Miami edge rusher Ruben Bain Jr. as a likely selection.Lance Zierlein · Mock Draft Picks · Avieon Terrell · Close 50
Zuerlein describes their mock draft 3.0: Carnell Tate to the Giants at No. 5, Sonny Styles falling to the Cowboys at No. 12, and Colton Hood to Dallas at No. 20. They also expect runs on linebackers from the late twenties to about pick 45, defensive tackles from the early-mid twenties into the 40s, and says Ahvion Terrell's 4.65 forty knocks them out of first-round contention. They call Kenyon Saddiq and Mansoor Delaine the safest picks for Dallas, and thinks Delaine's tape is top-four caliber, while Jeremiah Smith could be a generational, Megatron-type receiver.Jaime Eisner · Mock Draft Picks · Darrell Jackson · Miss 35
A seven-round Falcons mock draft projecting Atlanta's five 2026 picks: CB Brandon Cisse at No. 48, IDL Darrell Jackson Jr. at No. 79, WR Brenen Thompson at No. 112, EDGE Mason Reiger at No. 215, and LB Shad Banks Jr. at No. 231. It also expects Cisse to go inside the top 50 and Jackson to be an immediate early-down contributor.Nick Wright · Mock Draft Picks · Avieon Terrell · Close 50
Nick Wright unveiled their full 32-pick 2026 NFL mock draft 4.0, starting with Fernando Mendoza to the Raiders at No. 1 and ending with Avion Terrell to the Seahawks at 32. They also called Carnell Tate the best/safest receiver in the class, projected Ty Simpson inside the top 45, said Mendoza profiles as a low-end top-15 NFL quarterback, and expected the Dolphins to lose 15 games.Danny Parkins · Mock Draft Picks · Dillon Thieneman · Close 74
Danny Parkins presented their one-and-only 2026 mock draft, including trades: Mendoza at 1 to the Raiders, David Bailey second to the Jets, the Cowboys trading up to No. 3 for Arvell Reese, the Bears trading up to 16 for Kadyn Proctor, and Ty Simpson going to Arizona at 32 at the end of round one.
More mock draft picks
The same kind of call, about other players and teams.
Chris Simms · Mock Draft Picks · Malachi Corley · Miss 11
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.Philip Hughes · Mock Draft Picks · Kyle Kennard · Miss 34
Evaluating edge rusher Kyle Kennard ahead of the draft, the account projected them as a Day 2 selection.Blaine Grisak · Mock Draft Picks · Brian Thomas Jr. · Hit 84
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.Charlie Campbell · Mock Draft Picks · Xavier Williams · Miss 0
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.