Jaime Eisner· Apr 1, 2026
A seven-round Falcons mock draft projecting Atlanta's five 2026 picks: CB Brandon Cisse at 48, IDL Darrell Jackson Jr. at 79, WR Brenen Thompson at 112, EDGE Mason Reiger at 215 and LB Shad Banks Jr. at 231.
“Brandon Cisse's draft stock has cooled a bit in recent weeks, but he still seems like a likely top-50 pick.”
published in writing · The Draft Network · read the original →
6 checkable claims — 6 mock draft picks — each graded on its own rather than as one all-or-nothing bet.
It names 6 players and teams, each linked to their own record.
All 6 have settled, averaging 47.5 out of 100, against 50 for a naive guess at the same calls.
Their call against what happened
overall pick231They said
undraftedWhat happened
Their call against what actually happened.
Where do you stand? Pick this and every open claim on Picks →
Who this take is about
6 checkable claims in this take
Each one is scored on its own against the published methodology. A pundit naming several outcomes is graded on each, not on all-or-nothing.
- Mock Draft PicksShad BanksAtlanta FalconsApr 1, 2026
Shad Banks to be picked at number 231
“Round 7 (No. 231 overall): Shad Banks Jr., LB, UTSA”
Miss · 0Scored 0 on this pickthis mock ordered the draft 100 against a shuffle’s 50+50 skillHow this was scored
- draft:
- 2026
- naive:
- a shuffled mock scores 50
- skill:
- 50
- player:
- Shad Banks
- season:
- 2026
- zero at:
- undrafted
- outcome:
- went undrafted in 2026; later signed with TEN
- accuracy:
- 0
- baseline:
- 50
- actual pick:
- undrafted
- difficulty:
- 1
- weeks in the season:
- 18
- pick accuracy:
- 0
- predicted pick:
- 231
- weeks left when called:
- 0
- mock ordering score:
- 100
- Mock Draft PicksMason ReigerAtlanta FalconsApr 1, 2026
Mason Reiger to be picked at number 215
“Round 6 (No. 215 overall): Mason Reiger, EDGE, Wisconsin”
Miss · 0Scored 0 on this pickthis mock ordered the draft 100 against a shuffle’s 50+50 skillHow this was scored
- draft:
- 2026
- naive:
- a shuffled mock scores 50
- skill:
- 50
- player:
- Mason Reiger
- season:
- 2026
- zero at:
- undrafted
- outcome:
- went undrafted in 2026; later signed with MIA
- accuracy:
- 0
- baseline:
- 50
- actual pick:
- undrafted
- difficulty:
- 1
- weeks in the season:
- 18
- pick accuracy:
- 0
- predicted pick:
- 215
- weeks left when called:
- 0
- mock ordering score:
- 100
Brenen Thompson to be picked at number 112
“Round 4 (No. 112 overall): Brenen Thompson, WR, Mississippi State”
Close · 74Scored 73.84 on this pickthis mock ordered the draft 100 against a shuffle’s 50+50 skillHow this was scored
- draft:
- 2026
- naive:
- a shuffled mock scores 50
- skill:
- 50
- player:
- Brenen Thompson
- season:
- 2026
- zero at:
- 32
- accuracy:
- 73.84
- baseline:
- 50
- actual pick:
- 105
- difficulty:
- 1
- weeks in the season:
- 18
- pick accuracy:
- 73.84
- predicted pick:
- 112
- weeks left when called:
- 0
- mock ordering score:
- 100
Darrell Jackson to be picked at number 79
“Round 3 (No. 79 overall): Darrell Jackson Jr., IDL, Florida State”
Miss · 35Scored 35.36 on this pickthis mock ordered the draft 100 against a shuffle’s 50+50 skillHow this was scored
- draft:
- 2026
- naive:
- a shuffled mock scores 50
- skill:
- 50
- player:
- Darrell Jackson
- season:
- 2026
- zero at:
- 32
- accuracy:
- 35.36
- baseline:
- 50
- actual pick:
- 103
- difficulty:
- 1
- weeks in the season:
- 18
- pick accuracy:
- 35.36
- predicted pick:
- 79
- weeks left when called:
- 0
- mock ordering score:
- 100
- Mock Draft PicksBrandon CisseApr 1, 2026
Brandon Cisse to be picked “likely top-50 pick” (picks 1–50)
“Brandon Cisse's draft stock has cooled a bit in recent weeks, but he still seems like a likely top-50 pick.”
Hit · 92Scored 91.7 on this pickthis mock ordered the draft 100 against a shuffle’s 50+50 skillHow this was scored
- draft:
- 2026
- naive:
- a shuffled mock scores 50
- skill:
- 50
- player:
- Brandon Cisse
- season:
- 2026
- zero at:
- 32
- accuracy:
- 91.7
- baseline:
- 50
- actual pick:
- 52
- difficulty:
- 1
- weeks in the season:
- 18
- pick accuracy:
- 91.7
- predicted pick:
- likely top-50 pick (picks 1–50)
- weeks left when called:
- 0
- mock ordering score:
- 100
- Mock Draft PicksBrandon CisseAtlanta FalconsApr 1, 2026
Brandon Cisse to be picked at number 48
“Round 2 (No. 48 overall): Brandon Cisse, CB, South Carolina”
Hit · 84Scored 84.09 on this pickthis mock ordered the draft 100 against a shuffle’s 50+50 skillHow this was scored
- draft:
- 2026
- naive:
- a shuffled mock scores 50
- skill:
- 50
- player:
- Brandon Cisse
- season:
- 2026
- zero at:
- 32
- accuracy:
- 84.09
- baseline:
- 50
- actual pick:
- 52
- difficulty:
- 1
- weeks in the season:
- 18
- pick accuracy:
- 84.09
- predicted pick:
- 48
- weeks left when called:
- 0
- mock ordering score:
- 100
What others said about the same people
- Fox SportsDepth Chart Calls · Michael Penix Jr.Hit · 100Fox Sports states that a healthy Tua Tagovailoa will serve as Atlanta's backup quarterback in Week 3, with Michael Penix Jr. handling the starting duties against Green Bay.
- Scott KennedyRoster Spot Calls · Tua TagovailoaHit · 100Kennedy reports that Atlanta is expected to keep three quarterbacks on its 53-man roster: Tua Tagovailoa, Michael Penix Jr., and undrafted rookie Jack Strand.
- Tyler SullivanRoster Spot Calls · Jack StrandMiss · 0In a rookie quarterback report card following the 2026 preseason, CBS Sports projects Fernando Mendoza opening the year as Kirk Cousins' backup in Las Vegas, Luke Altmyer settling as the Lions' third quarterback behind Joshua Dobbs, and Jack Strand most likely landing on Atlanta's practice squad rather than the 53-man roster.
- Jacob WestendorfRoster Spot Calls · Brandon CisseHit · 100In his final 53-man roster projection for the Packers, Westendorf names every player he expects to make the initial roster, places Luke Musgrave and Micah Parsons on PUP, projects Anthony Campbell as the final cut headed to the practice squad, and sets out several depth-chart calls (Love over Taylor, Jacobs as the bell cow, Franklin/Cooper starting at linebacker, Cox and Dennis-Sutton as the No. 2 edge tandem in Week 1).
- Bill HuberRoster Spot Calls · Brandon CisseHit · 100Ahead of final cuts, Huber assigns Packers players probability tiers for making the 53-man roster, calling 40 players locks and another 12 more likely than not to stick, while projecting Keisean Nixon as a Week 1 starting cornerback, Tyrod Taylor as the backup QB, Skyy Moore as the returner, and Micah Parsons, Luke Musgrave and Jordon Riley opening the season on PUP.
- Carter BahnsRoster Spot Calls · Cooper RushMiss · 0A CBS Sports piece names 20 notable veterans it considers at risk of being cut before the 53-man roster deadline, with several pegged for the practice squad or outright release, and also sketches a few depth-chart pecking orders (Titans QBs, Panthers tight ends, Texans receivers, Eagles backfield).
More mock draft picks
The same kind of call, about other players and teams.
- Ryan WilsonMock Draft Picks · J.J. McCarthyMiss · 37Recalling his pre-draft evaluation, Wilson notes he had ranked J.J. McCarthy as the fifth quarterback in the 2024 class and given him a second-round grade rather than a first-round one, citing the gap between Michigan's system and NFL demands.
- Lance ZierleinMock Draft Picks · Jeremiyah LoveHit · 100Zierlein laid out his final mock draft: Jeremiah Love at No. 3 to Arizona, Sonny Styles at No. 4 to Robert Saleh's team, and Caleb Downs to the Giants at No. 5. He also called Styles the only first-round linebacker in the class and said Ty Simpson is a lock to be a first-round pick, most likely to Arizona.
- Nick ShookMock Draft Picks · Max IheanachorHit · 88Shook walks through his full first-round mock draft, assigning a prospect to every pick from No. 1 to No. 32, headlined by Fernando Mendoza to the Raiders, David Bailey to the Jets and Jeremiah Love to the Cardinals in the top three.
- Gregg RosenthalMock Draft Picks · K.C. ConcepcionClose · 68Rosenthal disagrees most with Casey Concepcion being left out of the first round, arguing he could go as high as the top 15 and certainly won't last past receiver-needy teams in the late twenties.
- Daniel JeremiahMock Draft Picks · Keyron CrawfordHit · 81In discussing teams without first-round picks, Jeremiah projected specific Day 2 picks: Clemson WR Antonio Williams to the Falcons at 48, Texas Tech LB Jacob Rodriguez to the Colts in the second round, Oklahoma edge R Mason Thomas to the Packers at 52, and Auburn edge Keiroon Crawford to the Broncos at 62. He also expects Riley Leonard to open as the Colts' starting QB and Travis Hunter to play cornerback full time in Jacksonville.
- Daniel JeremiahMock Draft Picks · Carnell TateHit · 92Jeremiah says Denver, not Kansas City, will be the clear favorite in the AFC West this season; he also puts Carnell Tate sixth and Monroe Freeling twentieth on his prospect board, mocks Tate to Cleveland at No. 6, and expects Georgia receiver Branch to be a Day 2 pick after a strong pro day.