Lance Zierlein#11 of 87 NFL pundits · Feb 28, 2025
Zierlein raised their draft evaluations after Thursday's workouts: Oklahoma linebacker Danny Stutsman moved into their top 100, South Carolina's Demetrius Knight could be the first inside linebacker drafted, and Caine Medrano went from undrafted to draftable on their board.
Said on air or in an interview · Move the Sticks (podcast)Hear the original
What Lance Zierlein said
our reading, beside the words we read it fromI thought he was like a third fourth. I think he's in the top one hundred now.
- Where it was said
- Move the Sticks (podcast)
- The episode
- 2025 NFL Combine Recap: DL & LBs
- 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 28, 2025
- GradedAug 7, 2026
- 1Demetrius Knight Jr. to be 1st inside linebacker off the board“Demetrius Knight from South Carolina stood out to me... Might even be you know, could be linebacker one as an inside linebacker.”
- 2Danny Stutsman to be picked “top one hundred” (picks 1–1)“and he did like he made himself money, he helped himself. I thought he was like a third fourth. I think he's in the top one hundred now. Is a linebacker.”
- 3Kain Medrano to be picked “drafted”“So I went from undrafted on him to drafted like love that yesterday”
Box score
HitCloseMissWaiting| Verdict | Call | Kind | What happened | Score | Naive | Skill |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Demetrius Knight Jr. to be 1st inside linebacker off the board1 | Position Order Calls | — | 50 | 21.98 | +28.02 | |
| Danny Stutsman to be picked “top one hundred” (picks 1–1)2 | Mock Draft Picks | Went 112 | 0.82 | 50 | — | |
| Kain Medrano to be picked “drafted”3 | Mock Draft Picks | — | — | — | — | |
| 3 calls · 1 close call · 1 miss · 1 waiting | 25.4 | 36 | ||||
How each call scored
a naive guessbetter than naiveworse than naive3 checkable claims — 2 mock draft picks and 1 position order call — each graded on its own rather than as one all-or-nothing call.
It names 3 players and teams, each linked to their own record.
2 of 3 have settled so far, averaging 25.4 out of 100, against 36 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
positional finishTheir call against what actually happened.
1Position Order CallsDemetrius Knight Jr.
Demetrius Knight Jr. to be 1st inside linebacker off the board
VerdictClose50Close · naive 21.9850this call−21.98a naive guess=28.02better than naive×1difficulty=+28.02skillThink this is wrong?How this was scored
- draft:
- 2025
- naive:
- naming one of the 21 at random averages 21.98
- skill:
- 28.02
- player:
- Demetrius Knight Jr.
- season:
- 2024
- zero credit this far off:
- credit halves every two places
- accuracy:
- 50
- baseline:
- 21.98
- position:
- inside linebacker
- class size:
- 21
- difficulty:
- 1
- weeks in the season:
- 18
- actual order:
- 3
- predicted order:
- 1
- weeks left when called:
- 0
2Mock Draft PicksDanny Stutsman
Danny Stutsman to be picked “top one hundred” (picks 1–1)
What happenedWent 1120.82Miss · naive 50Think this is wrong?How this was scored
- draft:
- 2025
- naive:
- a shuffled mock scores 50
- player:
- Danny Stutsman
- season:
- 2024
- zero credit this far off:
- 32
- accuracy:
- 0.82
- baseline:
- 50
- actual pick:
- 112
- difficulty:
- 1
- weeks in the season:
- 18
- pick accuracy:
- 0.82
- predicted pick:
- top one hundred (picks 1–1)
- weeks left when called:
- 0
- mock ordering score:
- only one pick — no order to score
Kain Medrano to be picked “drafted”
VerdictWaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- All
The take as a whole
the average of 2 settled calls, each counted once
25.4naive 36
Who this take is about
Others on the same people
David Harrison · Roster Spot Calls · Kain Medrano · Hit 100
Harrison gives their initial 53-man roster projection for the Washington Commanders: three quarterbacks including Ethan Kalyak Manus, three running backs, four tight ends, six receivers (leaving off De'Ami Brown and Jaden Bradley), nine offensive linemen with Matt Goldman at center, and a defense of six linebackers but only four cornerbacks. They also project Tunstall and Newton going to IR on Monday with De'Ami Brown and Dietrich Wise re-signed, plus a corner-heavy practice squad.Ross Jackson · Roster Spot Calls · Danny Stutsman · Hit 100
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Harrison projects the Washington Commanders' initial 53-man roster if it had to be set today, naming 26 offensive players, three specialists and 24 defenders, and also assigns depth-chart slots at quarterback, running back, the offensive line, the interior defensive line, and the return/specialist jobs.Philip Hughes · Roster Spot Calls · Kain Medrano · Hit 100
Hughes projects Washington's initial 53-man roster ahead of the final preseason game, naming every player they expect to make the team by position group, and slots Athan Kaliakmanis as the No. 3 quarterback behind Jayden Daniels and Marcus Mariota.
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.