Damian ParsonApr 20, 2026
Locked On's draft analyst laid out where several prospects should land in the upcoming draft: Zachariah Branch as a Day 2/third-round target for the Chargers, Penn State's top offensive lineman gone well before pick 22 (ideally 14 to Baltimore), Akeem Mesador and Malachi Lawrence as first-round edge rushers, Derrick Moore as a Day 2 edge, and Texas's left tackle as a top-10 pick next year.
Said on air, transcribed by us · Locked On Chargers (podcast)Hear the original
What Damian Parson said
our reading, beside the words we read it fromBut it just seems super unlikely, as we get closer and closer to the draft that he's gonna get to 22.
- Where it was said
- Locked On Chargers (podcast)
- The episode
- BRANCH OR BUST: Draft Expert says Georgia Star is a PERFECT Fit for Chargers OC Mike McDaniel
- The original
- Hear the original
- Read it wrong?
- Tell us and we will look
- SaidApr 20
- GradedAug 18
- 1Zachariah Branch to be picked “day two, probably third round” (picks 65–100)“but I think if you look at day two, obviously, probably third round is if he's still there. I think about Zachariah Branch out of Georgia.”
- 2Olaivavega Ioane to be picked “drafted before No. 22 (ideal landing spot 14 to the Ravens)”“But it just seems super unlikely, as we get closer and closer to the draft that he's gonna get to 22... I think the the ideal land spot for him is probably that 14 to the Ravens.”
- 3Akheem Mesidor to be picked “round one”“but in round one, I think, Akeem Mesador, 25 year old rookie.”
- 4Malachi Lawrence to be picked “inside the twenties”“Malachi Lawrence out of UCF, his stock has skyrocketed... back in around when that that inside the twenties, I think he's a he's a a pick for whether it's Philly, the charge, whoever.”
- 5Derrick Moore to be picked “day two”“I got it on day two. Derrick Moore out of Michigan.”
Box score
HitCloseMissWaiting| Verdict | Call | Kind | What happened | Score | Naive | Skill |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zachariah Branch to be picked “day two, probably third round” (picks 65–100)1 | Mock Draft Picks | Went 79 | 100 | 50 | — | |
| Olaivavega Ioane to be picked “drafted before No. 22 (ideal landing spot 14 to the Ravens)”2 | Mock Draft Picks | — | — | — | — | |
| Akheem Mesidor to be picked “round one”3 | Mock Draft Picks | — | — | — | — | |
| Malachi Lawrence to be picked “inside the twenties”4 | Mock Draft Picks | — | — | — | — | |
| Derrick Moore to be picked “day two”5 | Mock Draft Picks | — | — | — | — | |
| 5 calls · 1 hit · 4 waiting | 100 | 50 | ||||
How each call scored
a naive guessbetter than naive5 checkable claims — 5 mock draft picks — each graded on its own rather than as one all-or-nothing call.
It names 6 players and teams, each linked to their own record.
1 of 5 have settled so far, averaging 100 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 PicksZachariah Branch
Zachariah Branch to be picked “day two, probably third round” (picks 65–100)
What happenedWent 79100Hit · naive 50Think this is wrong?How this was scored
- draft:
- 2026
- naive:
- a shuffled mock scores 50
- player:
- Zachariah Branch
- season:
- 2026
- zero credit this far off:
- 32
- accuracy:
- 100
- baseline:
- 50
- actual pick:
- 79
- difficulty:
- 1
- weeks in the season:
- 18
- pick accuracy:
- 100
- predicted pick:
- day two, probably third round (picks 65–100)
- weeks left when called:
- 0
- mock ordering score:
- only one pick — no order to score
2Mock Draft PicksOlaivavega Ioane
Olaivavega Ioane to be picked “drafted before No. 22 (ideal landing spot 14 to the Ravens)”
VerdictWaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
3Mock Draft PicksAkheem MesidorMiami Dolphins
Akheem Mesidor to be picked “round one”
VerdictWaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
4Mock Draft PicksMalachi Lawrence
Malachi Lawrence to be picked “inside the twenties”
VerdictWaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
5Mock Draft PicksDerrick Moore
Derrick Moore to be picked “day two”
VerdictWaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Who this take is about
Others on the same people
Alain Poupart · Roster Spot Calls · Carlos Washington · Miss 0
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.Nick Brinkerhoff · Score Predictions · Miami Dolphins · Hit 100
Predicts a 23-20 Dolphins win over the Jets.Mike Kadlick · Game Outcome Picks · Miami Dolphins · Hit 100
Picks the Dolphins to beat the Jets.Alain Poupart · Score Predictions · Miami Dolphins · Hit 98
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.Alain Poupart · Game Outcome Picks · Miami Dolphins · Hit 100
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.Jourdan Rodrigue · Game Outcome Picks · Miami Dolphins · Hit 100
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.
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.