Ross Jackson#21 of 87 NFL pundits · Jan 30, 2026
Jackson presents a post-Senior Bowl seven-round mock draft for the New Orleans Saints, arguing Notre Dame running back Jeremiah Love is the best-case scenario at No. 8 overall, followed by Miami edge Akeem Messador at 42, Notre Dame WR Malachi Fields at 73, Auburn OL Jeremiah Wright at 132, Houston TE Tanner Cazio at 136, TCU safety Bud Clark and Utah LB Lander Barton in the fifth round, and DT Jeffrey Mbah in the sixth.
Said on air, transcribed by us · Locked On Saints (podcast)Hear the original
What Ross Jackson said
our reading, beside the words we read it fromAnd any argument against drafting Jeremiah Love falls apart within seconds of scrutiny.
- Where it was said
- Locked On Saints (podcast)
- The episode
- MOCK DRAFT: New Orleans Saints Post-Senior Bowl Mock Brings PLAYMAKER Jeremiyah Love To Big Easy
- The original
- Hear the original
- Read it wrong?
- Tell us and we will look
- SaidJan 30
- GradedAug 14–18
- 1Bud Clark to be picked “fifth round” (picks 141–181)“two in the fifth round ... I wanna start off with TCU safety, Bud Clark.”
- 2Lander Barton to be picked “fifth round” (picks 141–181)“Let's finish up the fifth round here after we take Bud Clark ... we're going Lander Barton, the linebacker out of Utah.”
- 3Jeffrey M'ba to be picked “sixth round” (picks 182–216)“We're gonna wrap up here in the sixth round ... and that's Jeffrey Mbah.”
- 4Akheem Mesidor to be picked at number 42“We got Akeem Messador at round two pick 42.”
- 5Tanner Koziol to be picked at number 136“in round four, pick one thirty six. I'm going with Houston tight end Tanner Cazio.”
- 6Jeremiyah Love to be picked at number 8“We go round one, pick eight for the New Orleans Saints, Jeremiah Love.”
- 7Malachi Fields to be picked at number 73“So at, round three, pick 73, we land Malachi Fields out of Notre Dame.”
- 8Jeremiah Wright to be picked at number 132“Next up, jumping to the fourth round, pick one thirty two. I went with ... Auburn offensive lineman Jeremiah Wright.”
Box score
HitCloseMissWaiting| Verdict | Call | Kind | What happened | Score | Naive | Skill |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bud Clark to be picked “fifth round” (picks 141–181)1 | Mock Draft Picks | Went 64 | 3.56 | 50 | +50 | |
| Lander Barton to be picked “fifth round” (picks 141–181)2 | Mock Draft Picks | Went undrafted | 0 | 50 | +50 | |
| Jeffrey M'ba to be picked “sixth round” (picks 182–216)3 | Mock Draft Picks | Went undrafted | 0 | 50 | +50 | |
| Akheem Mesidor to be picked at number 424 | Mock Draft Picks | Went 22 | 42.04 | 50 | +50 | |
| Tanner Koziol to be picked at number 1365 | Mock Draft Picks | Went 164 | 29.73 | 50 | +50 | |
| Jeremiyah Love to be picked at number 86 | Mock Draft Picks | Went 3 | 80.52 | 50 | +50 | |
| Malachi Fields to be picked at number 737 | Mock Draft Picks | Went 74 | 95.76 | 50 | +50 | |
| Jeremiah Wright to be picked at number 1328 | Mock Draft Picks | Went 132 | 100 | 50 | +50 | |
| 8 calls · 3 hits · 1 close call · 4 misses · all settled | 44 | 50 | ||||
How each call scored
a naive guessbetter than naiveworse than naive8 checkable claims — 8 mock draft picks — each graded on its own rather than as one all-or-nothing call.
It names 9 players and teams, each linked to their own record.
All 8 have settled, averaging 44 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.
Where this call stands in the room
Jeremiyah Love · 2025 season · overall pick7 calls from 7 pundits between 3 overall pick and 8 overall pick. Ross Jackson said 8 overall pick. the room's median is 8 overall pick. what happened: 3 overall pick
Every dot is a call somebody published on the same question, before the answer existed. The bar is what actually happened. Hover a dot for the name and number; click it to read that take.
Their call against what happened
overall pickTheir call against what actually happened.
1Mock Draft PicksBud ClarkNew Orleans Saints
Bud Clark to be picked “fifth round” (picks 141–181)
What happenedWent 643.56Miss · naive 50100this mock’s order−50a shuffled mock=50better than naive×1difficulty=+50skillThink this is wrong?How this was scored
- draft:
- 2026
- naive:
- a shuffled mock scores 50
- skill:
- 50
- player:
- Bud Clark
- season:
- 2025
- zero credit this far off:
- 32
- accuracy:
- 3.56
- baseline:
- 50
- actual pick:
- 64
- difficulty:
- 1
- weeks in the season:
- 18
- pick accuracy:
- 3.56
- predicted pick:
- fifth round (picks 141–181)
- weeks left when called:
- 0
- mock ordering score:
- 100
2Mock Draft PicksLander BartonNew Orleans Saints
Lander Barton to be picked “fifth round” (picks 141–181)
What happenedWent undrafted0Miss · naive 50100this mock’s order−50a shuffled mock=50better than naive×1difficulty=+50skillThink this is wrong?How this was scored
- draft:
- 2026
- naive:
- a shuffled mock scores 50
- skill:
- 50
- player:
- Lander Barton
- season:
- 2025
- zero credit this far off:
- undrafted
- outcome:
- went undrafted in 2026; later signed with LAC
- accuracy:
- 0
- baseline:
- 50
- actual pick:
- undrafted
- difficulty:
- 1
- weeks in the season:
- 18
- pick accuracy:
- 0
- predicted pick:
- fifth round (picks 141–181)
- weeks left when called:
- 0
- mock ordering score:
- 100
3Mock Draft PicksJeffrey M'baNew Orleans Saints
Jeffrey M'ba to be picked “sixth round” (picks 182–216)
What happenedWent undrafted0Miss · naive 50100this mock’s order−50a shuffled mock=50better than naive×1difficulty=+50skillThink this is wrong?How this was scored
- draft:
- 2026
- naive:
- a shuffled mock scores 50
- skill:
- 50
- player:
- Jeffrey M'ba
- season:
- 2025
- zero credit this far off:
- undrafted
- outcome:
- went undrafted in 2026; later signed with WAS
- accuracy:
- 0
- baseline:
- 50
- actual pick:
- undrafted
- difficulty:
- 1
- weeks in the season:
- 18
- pick accuracy:
- 0
- predicted pick:
- sixth round (picks 182–216)
- weeks left when called:
- 0
- mock ordering score:
- 100
4Mock Draft PicksAkheem MesidorNew Orleans Saints
Akheem Mesidor to be picked at number 42
What happenedWent 22mocked at 4242.04Close · naive 50100this mock’s order−50a shuffled mock=50better than naive×1difficulty=+50skillThink this is wrong?How this was scored
- draft:
- 2026
- naive:
- a shuffled mock scores 50
- skill:
- 50
- player:
- Akheem Mesidor
- season:
- 2025
- zero credit this far off:
- 32
- accuracy:
- 42.04
- baseline:
- 50
- actual pick:
- 22
- difficulty:
- 1
- weeks in the season:
- 18
- pick accuracy:
- 42.04
- predicted pick:
- 42
- weeks left when called:
- 0
- mock ordering score:
- 100
5Mock Draft PicksTanner KoziolNew Orleans Saints
Tanner Koziol to be picked at number 136
What happenedWent 164mocked at 13629.73Miss · naive 50100this mock’s order−50a shuffled mock=50better than naive×1difficulty=+50skillThink this is wrong?How this was scored
- draft:
- 2026
- naive:
- a shuffled mock scores 50
- skill:
- 50
- player:
- Tanner Koziol
- season:
- 2025
- zero credit this far off:
- 32
- accuracy:
- 29.73
- baseline:
- 50
- actual pick:
- 164
- difficulty:
- 1
- weeks in the season:
- 18
- pick accuracy:
- 29.73
- predicted pick:
- 136
- weeks left when called:
- 0
- mock ordering score:
- 100
6Mock Draft PicksJeremiyah LoveNew Orleans Saints
Jeremiyah Love to be picked at number 8
What happenedWent 3mocked at 880.52Hit · naive 50100this mock’s order−50a shuffled mock=50better than naive×1difficulty=+50skillThink this is wrong?How this was scored
- draft:
- 2026
- naive:
- a shuffled mock scores 50
- skill:
- 50
- player:
- Jeremiyah Love
- season:
- 2025
- zero credit this far off:
- 32
- accuracy:
- 80.52
- baseline:
- 50
- actual pick:
- 3
- difficulty:
- 1
- weeks in the season:
- 18
- pick accuracy:
- 80.52
- predicted pick:
- 8
- weeks left when called:
- 0
- mock ordering score:
- 100
7Mock Draft PicksMalachi FieldsNew Orleans Saints
Malachi Fields to be picked at number 73
What happenedWent 74mocked at 7395.76Hit · naive 50100this mock’s order−50a shuffled mock=50better than naive×1difficulty=+50skillThink this is wrong?How this was scored
- draft:
- 2026
- naive:
- a shuffled mock scores 50
- skill:
- 50
- player:
- Malachi Fields
- season:
- 2025
- zero credit this far off:
- 32
- accuracy:
- 95.76
- baseline:
- 50
- actual pick:
- 74
- difficulty:
- 1
- weeks in the season:
- 18
- pick accuracy:
- 95.76
- predicted pick:
- 73
- weeks left when called:
- 0
- mock ordering score:
- 100
8Mock Draft PicksJeremiah WrightNew Orleans Saints
Jeremiah Wright to be picked at number 132
What happenedWent 132mocked at 132100Hit · naive 50100this mock’s order−50a shuffled mock=50better than naive×1difficulty=+50skillThink this is wrong?How this was scored
- draft:
- 2026
- naive:
- a shuffled mock scores 50
- skill:
- 50
- player:
- Jeremiah Wright
- season:
- 2025
- zero credit this far off:
- 32
- accuracy:
- 100
- baseline:
- 50
- actual pick:
- 132
- difficulty:
- 1
- weeks in the season:
- 18
- pick accuracy:
- 100
- predicted pick:
- 132
- weeks left when called:
- 0
- mock ordering score:
- 100
- All
The take as a whole
the average of 8 settled calls, each counted once
44naive 50
Who this take is about
Others on the same people
Doug Joubert · Roster Spot Calls · Charlie Smyth · Hit 100
Joubert projects the Saints' 53-man roster ahead of the cutdown deadline, naming every player they expect to make the team by position group, plus several players they expect to receive PUP/IR designations, and predicting Torricelli Simpkins will later be moved to the practice squad.Grant Chachere · Score Predictions · New Orleans Saints · Close 69
Chachere picks the Saints to beat the Browns 24-10, arguing Cleveland's switch to Shedeur Sanders with Deshaun Watson out tilts the game toward New Orleans.Chris Simms · Score Predictions · New Orleans Saints · Hit 93
Simms gave a predicted final score for every Week 9 game, picking the Bengals, Chiefs, Broncos, Lions, Giants, Rams, Cowboys, Saints, 49ers, Patriots, Seahawks, Texans, Bears and Bills, and also said they wouldn't be shocked to see Jacksonville reach the AFC Championship Game.Connor Rogers · Game Outcome Picks · New Orleans Saints · Hit 100
Rogers picked straight-up winners in every Week 9 game, agreeing with Simms on all of them, and gave a 24-20 Bills score over the Vikings on Monday night.Chris Long · Game Outcome Picks · New Orleans Saints · Hit 100
Previewing the Week 9 slate, Chris Long expects the Saints to beat Cleveland, the Colts to beat Dallas, New England to edge Green Bay, and Baltimore to beat the Chargers on Monday night. They also call the Packers a top-10 defense once Micah Parsons returns, names their top six quarterbacks of the season, and expects Brandon Ayuk to be released, with Will Lee and Trevion Henderson sidelined this week.
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.