Daniel Jeremiah#25 of 87 NFL pundits · Feb 16, 2026
In a joint top-10 mock draft, Jeremiah gave the Raiders quarterback Mendoza first overall, Arizona tackle Mali Noah at No. 3, the Giants receiver Carneal Tate at No. 5, Washington's Ruben Bain at No. 7 and Makai Lemon to the Chiefs at No. 9. They also floated McCoy from Tennessee going to Dallas at 12 and Malachi Fields late in the first round.
Said on air or in an interview · Move the Sticks (podcast)Hear the original
What Daniel Jeremiah said
our reading, beside the words we read it fromMendoza makes too much sense for Vegas. I don't think they pass on him with the first pick.
- Where it was said
- Move the Sticks (podcast)
- The episode
- How Coaching Changes Reshape Draft Boards + Alternating Mock Draft 1.0
- 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 16
- GradedAug 5
- 1Malachi Fields to be picked “late in the first round” (picks 1–32)“I put Malachi Fields in there. Okay, late in the first round to a team that could be looking for a little size at the wide receiver position”
- 2Carnell Tate to be picked at number 5“I ended up going with Carneal Tate... So I want I'm gonna go Tate to five.”
- 3Fernando Mendoza to be picked at number 1“So first chick got the Vegas go Mendoza that they need the quarterback... Mendoza makes too much sense for Vegas. I don't think they pass on him with the first pick.”
- 4Jermod McCoy to be picked at number 12“What if I told you that the secondary though, that if they took McCoy from Tennessee... arguably the best corner in the draft or right there at the best corner of the draft of twelve?”
- 5Francis Mauigoa to be picked at number 3“I get to Arizona... Mali Noah out of Miami can plug right in at right tackle.”
- 6Makai Lemon to be picked at number 9“All right, I'm up with the Kansas City Chiefs... I'm gonna take Mikyle Lemon. He's just too good of a football player”
- 7Rueben Bain to be picked at number 7“I get to Washington here, Washington coming up at pick number seven, I'm gonna go with Baine.”
- 8Tua Tagovailoa to move“I'm sure they're gonna do the same thing with Tua, whether or not they could find a trade partner, which may be difficult, or you just release them.”
Box score
HitCloseMissWaiting| Verdict | Call | Kind | What happened | Score | Naive | Skill |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Malachi Fields to be picked “late in the first round” (picks 1–32)1 | Mock Draft Picks | Went 74 | 16.21 | 50 | +47.14 | |
| Carnell Tate to be picked at number 52 | Mock Draft Picks | Went 4 | 95.76 | 50 | +47.14 | |
| Fernando Mendoza to be picked at number 13 | Mock Draft Picks | Went 1 | 100 | 50 | +47.14 | |
| Jermod McCoy to be picked at number 124 | Mock Draft Picks | Went 101 | 2.12 | 50 | +47.14 | |
| Francis Mauigoa to be picked at number 35 | Mock Draft Picks | Went 10 | 73.84 | 50 | +47.14 | |
| Makai Lemon to be picked at number 96 | Mock Draft Picks | Went 20 | 62.09 | 50 | +47.14 | |
| Rueben Bain to be picked at number 77 | Mock Draft Picks | Went 15 | 70.71 | 50 | +47.14 | |
| Tua Tagovailoa to move8 | Trade and Signing Calls | — | — | — | — | |
| 8 calls · 2 hits · 3 close calls · 2 misses · 1 waiting | 60.1 | 50 | ||||
How each call scored
a naive guessbetter than naiveworse than naive8 checkable claims — 7 mock draft picks and 1 trade and signing call — each graded on its own rather than as one all-or-nothing call.
It names 14 players and teams, each linked to their own record.
7 of 8 have settled so far, averaging 60.1 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 PicksMalachi Fields
Malachi Fields to be picked “late in the first round” (picks 1–32)
What happenedWent 7416.21Miss · naive 5097.14this mock’s order−50a shuffled mock=47.14better than naive×1difficulty=+47.14skillThink this is wrong?How this was scored
- draft:
- 2026
- naive:
- a shuffled mock scores 50
- skill:
- 47.14
- player:
- Malachi Fields
- season:
- 2025
- zero credit this far off:
- 32
- accuracy:
- 16.21
- baseline:
- 50
- actual pick:
- 74
- difficulty:
- 1
- weeks in the season:
- 18
- pick accuracy:
- 16.21
- predicted pick:
- late in the first round (picks 1–32)
- weeks left when called:
- 0
- mock ordering score:
- 97.14
2Mock Draft PicksCarnell TateNew York Giants
Carnell Tate to be picked at number 5
What happenedWent 4mocked at 595.76Hit · naive 5097.14this mock’s order−50a shuffled mock=47.14better than naive×1difficulty=+47.14skillThink this is wrong?How this was scored
- draft:
- 2026
- naive:
- a shuffled mock scores 50
- skill:
- 47.14
- player:
- Carnell Tate
- season:
- 2025
- zero credit this far off:
- 32
- accuracy:
- 95.76
- baseline:
- 50
- actual pick:
- 4
- difficulty:
- 1
- weeks in the season:
- 18
- pick accuracy:
- 95.76
- predicted pick:
- 5
- weeks left when called:
- 0
- mock ordering score:
- 97.14
3Mock Draft PicksFernando MendozaLas Vegas Raiders
Fernando Mendoza to be picked at number 1
What happenedWent 1mocked at 1100Hit · naive 5097.14this mock’s order−50a shuffled mock=47.14better than naive×1difficulty=+47.14skillThink this is wrong?How this was scored
- draft:
- 2026
- naive:
- a shuffled mock scores 50
- skill:
- 47.14
- 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:
- 97.14
4Mock Draft PicksJermod McCoyDallas Cowboys
Jermod McCoy to be picked at number 12
What happenedWent 101mocked at 122.12Miss · naive 5097.14this mock’s order−50a shuffled mock=47.14better than naive×1difficulty=+47.14skillThink this is wrong?How this was scored
- draft:
- 2026
- naive:
- a shuffled mock scores 50
- skill:
- 47.14
- player:
- Jermod McCoy
- season:
- 2025
- zero credit this far off:
- 32
- accuracy:
- 2.12
- baseline:
- 50
- actual pick:
- 101
- difficulty:
- 1
- weeks in the season:
- 18
- pick accuracy:
- 2.12
- predicted pick:
- 12
- weeks left when called:
- 0
- mock ordering score:
- 97.14
5Mock Draft PicksFrancis MauigoaArizona Cardinals
Francis Mauigoa to be picked at number 3
What happenedWent 10mocked at 373.84Close · naive 5097.14this mock’s order−50a shuffled mock=47.14better than naive×1difficulty=+47.14skillThink this is wrong?How this was scored
- draft:
- 2026
- naive:
- a shuffled mock scores 50
- skill:
- 47.14
- player:
- Francis Mauigoa
- season:
- 2025
- zero credit this far off:
- 32
- accuracy:
- 73.84
- baseline:
- 50
- actual pick:
- 10
- difficulty:
- 1
- weeks in the season:
- 18
- pick accuracy:
- 73.84
- predicted pick:
- 3
- weeks left when called:
- 0
- mock ordering score:
- 97.14
6Mock Draft PicksMakai LemonKansas City Chiefs
Makai Lemon to be picked at number 9
What happenedWent 20mocked at 962.09Close · naive 5097.14this mock’s order−50a shuffled mock=47.14better than naive×1difficulty=+47.14skillThink this is wrong?How this was scored
- draft:
- 2026
- naive:
- a shuffled mock scores 50
- skill:
- 47.14
- player:
- Makai Lemon
- season:
- 2025
- zero credit this far off:
- 32
- accuracy:
- 62.09
- baseline:
- 50
- actual pick:
- 20
- difficulty:
- 1
- weeks in the season:
- 18
- pick accuracy:
- 62.09
- predicted pick:
- 9
- weeks left when called:
- 0
- mock ordering score:
- 97.14
7Mock Draft PicksRueben BainWashington Commanders
Rueben Bain to be picked at number 7
What happenedWent 15mocked at 770.71Close · naive 5097.14this mock’s order−50a shuffled mock=47.14better than naive×1difficulty=+47.14skillThink this is wrong?How this was scored
- draft:
- 2026
- naive:
- a shuffled mock scores 50
- skill:
- 47.14
- player:
- Rueben Bain
- season:
- 2025
- zero credit this far off:
- 32
- accuracy:
- 70.71
- baseline:
- 50
- actual pick:
- 15
- difficulty:
- 1
- weeks in the season:
- 18
- pick accuracy:
- 70.71
- predicted pick:
- 7
- weeks left when called:
- 0
- mock ordering score:
- 97.14
8Trade and Signing CallsTua Tagovailoa
Tua Tagovailoa to move
VerdictWaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- All
The take as a whole
the average of 7 settled calls, each counted once
60.1naive 50
Who this take is about
Malachi Fields, Carnell Tate, New York Giants, Fernando Mendoza, Las Vegas Raiders, Jermod McCoy, Dallas Cowboys, Francis Mauigoa, Arizona Cardinals, Makai Lemon, Kansas City Chiefs, Rueben Bain, Washington Commanders, Tua Tagovailoa
Others on the same people
Sam Monson · Game Outcome Picks · New York Giants · Miss 0
Monson picked every Week 10 game, taking the Giants, Lions, Packers, Panthers, Colts, Texans, Bills, Chiefs, Jaguars, Seahawks, Rams, Cowboys, Bengals and Ravens, and also suggested the Chargers' only likely wins the rest of the way come against the Jets and Dolphins.Jordan Dajani · Score Predictions · Washington Commanders · Hit 95
Dajani picks the Commanders to edge the Giants 21-20 on Thursday and the Chiefs to beat the Falcons 26-20 in Week 10.Tyler Sullivan · Score Predictions · Washington Commanders · Hit 100
Sullivan takes the Commanders 24-21 over the Giants on Thursday night and calls for a Steelers upset of the Bengals, 27-24, in Week 10.Pete Prisco · Score Predictions · New York Giants · Miss 36
Prisco picks the Giants to beat the Commanders 23-14 on Thursday night and the Lions to beat the Patriots 30-24 in Munich.John Breech · Score Predictions · Washington Commanders · Hit 90
Breech picks the Commanders to upset the Giants on Thursday night, 24-17, and takes the Texans to beat the Browns 24-16 in Week 10 behind a pass rush that should batter Deshaun Watson.Jared Dubin · Score Predictions · New York Giants · Close 43
Dubin picks the Giants to beat the Commanders 20-14 on Thursday night and takes the Packers over the Vikings 17-14 in a low-scoring Week 10 game.
More mock draft picks
The same kind of call, about other players and teams.
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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.