# Mike Renner: Renner ranks the top 10 running backs in the 2027 NFL Draft class, calling it a special group in which the top three are future first-rounders, and assigns each an early draft grade ranging from Round 1 to early Day 3. **Claimed:** Aug 18, 2026 **Pundit:** Mike Renner — https://missedtakes.co/pundits/mike-renner **Outlet:** CBS Sports — https://missedtakes.co/outlets/cbs-sports **How it reached us:** published in writing **Original:** https://www.cbssports.com/college-football/news/top-2027-nfl-draft-running-backs-ahmad-hardy/ 12 checkable claims — 11 mock draft picks and 1 top player list — each graded on its own rather than as one all-or-nothing call. It names 11 players and teams, each linked to their own record. None of them have settled yet — they grade once their results are in. > The top three backs in this class all look like future first-rounders, so there's no shame in coming in third on this list. *(their words, quoted for attribution)* ## The claims - **Kewan Lacy to be picked “Round 1”** - Kind: Mock Draft Picks · About: Kewan Lacy - Verdict: not settled yet - **Rushawn Baker to be picked “Late Day 2” (picks 67–100)** - Kind: Mock Draft Picks · About: Rushawn Baker - Verdict: not settled yet - **Jadan Baugh to be picked “Round 1”** - Kind: Mock Draft Picks · About: Jadan Baugh - Verdict: not settled yet - **LaMont Jordan to be picked “Early Day 3” (picks 101–179)** - Kind: Mock Draft Picks · About: LaMont Jordan - Verdict: not settled yet - **Hollywood Smothers to be picked “Early Day 3” (picks 101–179)** - Kind: Mock Draft Picks · About: Hollywood Smothers - Verdict: not settled yet - **Nate Carter to be picked “Day 2” (picks 33–100)** - Kind: Mock Draft Picks · About: Nate Carter - Verdict: not settled yet - **Mark Fletcher Jr. to be picked “Late Day 2” (picks 67–100)** - Kind: Mock Draft Picks · About: Mark Fletcher Jr., Miami Dolphins - Verdict: not settled yet - **Rushawn Baker to be picked “top-100 pick” (picks 1–100)** - Kind: Mock Draft Picks · About: Rushawn Baker - Verdict: not settled yet - **Ahmad Hardy to be picked “Round 1”** - Kind: Mock Draft Picks · About: Ahmad Hardy - Verdict: not settled yet - “Positional rankings ... RB ... Ahmad Hardy ... Jadan Baugh ... Kewan Lacy ... Isaac Brown ... Nate Frazier ... Mark Fletcher Jr. ... Wayshawn Parker ... Aneyas Williams ... Hollywood Smothers ... Waymond Jordan” - Kind: Top Player Lists - Verdict: not settled yet - **Aneyas Williams to be picked “Early Day 3” (picks 101–179)** - Kind: Mock Draft Picks · About: Aneyas Williams - Verdict: not settled yet - **Isaac Brown to be picked “Day 2” (picks 33–100)** - Kind: Mock Draft Picks · About: Isaac Brown - Verdict: not settled yet ## Who this take is about - Kewan Lacy — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/kewan-lacy - Rushawn Baker — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/rushawn-baker - Jadan Baugh — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/jadan-baugh - LaMont Jordan — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/lamont-jordan - Hollywood Smothers — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/hollywood-smothers - Nate Carter — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/nate-carter - Mark Fletcher Jr. — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/mark-fletcher-jr - Miami Dolphins — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/dolphins - Ahmad Hardy — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/ahmad-hardy - Aneyas Williams — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/aneyas-williams - Isaac Brown — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/isaac-brown ## What others said about the same people - Alain Poupart on Carlos Washington: Poupart expects rookie guard Kadyn Proctor to clear concussion protocol and play against Detroit, sees Ollie Gordon II continuing as the Dolphins' workhorse back, and thinks practice squad back Carlos Washington Jr. could be elevated for the Lions game. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/8f436e4c-b47e-41c6-9c95-ad8a2e6a32f0 (scored 0) - Nick Brinkerhoff on Miami Dolphins: Predicts a 23-20 Dolphins win over the Jets. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/a38cb982-14c3-4bea-bf0f-f61b43e1535a (scored 100) - Mike Kadlick on Miami Dolphins: Picks the Dolphins to beat the Jets. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/23a2739f-abc5-4aea-9665-cebe61f324c5 (scored 100) - Alain Poupart on Miami Dolphins: Picks the Dolphins to upset the Jets 24-20, citing New York's run-defense problems against a Miami ground game led by Ollie Gordon II and Malik Willis. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/0737798d-0dca-47e8-926d-d78d3f3f095a (scored 97.62) - Alain Poupart on Miami Dolphins: Picks the Jets to beat the Dolphins 19-17, while predicting Miami will get its win over New York in the rematch five weeks later. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/9911cc3c-511b-46b0-b379-e65b36a962bf (scored 100) - Jourdan Rodrigue on Miami Dolphins: Roderick picked the Vikings to smash the Colts, the Dolphins to win their first game of the season against the Jets, and the Saints to upset the Steelers in Paris. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/b45ad24a-5924-47e4-b85c-68b9fa738ef4 (scored 100) ## More mock draft picks The same kind of call, about other players and teams. - Chris Simms on Malachi Corley: 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. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/c0fd4647-2de8-4a5f-bac2-950fed303ee9 (scored 11.46) - Todd McShay on Keelon Russell: While breaking down LSU's offense, McShay called receiver Jackson Harris a top-50 NFL draft prospect, and later said LSU's Sam Levitt and Alabama's Keelan Russell are potential top-10 picks in a future draft. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/15d40546-2ab9-4ab8-b5bd-ed0ef7f26ae5 (scored 0) - Philip Hughes on Kyle Kennard: Evaluating edge rusher Kyle Kennard ahead of the draft, the account projected them as a Day 2 selection. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/605a686a-b5f1-4611-82b4-961abf8de93e (scored 33.86) - Blaine Grisak on Brian Thomas Jr.: 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. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/627bcf5d-9f1d-4a34-a1b7-53b8f0aebc40 (scored 84.09) - Charlie Campbell on Xavier Williams: 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. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/2dd4bf46-e5eb-4dff-8500-95d9fdbd2986 (scored 0) - Walt on Fernando Mendoza: In a running series of coach/GM hiring and firing grades, Walt projects Fernando Mendoza as the No. 1 overall pick of the Raiders in the 2026 draft and has LSU's Garrett Nussmeier going No. 2 overall in their 2026 mock draft. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/29bb2d31-fbe3-40db-b378-be5ba5d990b0 (scored 100) --- Accuracy is 0-100 against what actually happened. The naive guess is what a strategy requiring no knowledge would have scored on the same call — the difference is the skill, and it is what the MissedTakes Score averages. Full method: https://missedtakes.co/methodology We summarize what a pundit said and quote a short span for attribution; we never republish their article. If this is wrong, tell us: https://missedtakes.co/corrections?pundit=mike-renner