# Tom Pelissero: Guest host Tom Pelissero laid out their ten biggest pre-draft questions, predicting Cam Ward goes No. 1 overall to the Titans, doubting five quarterbacks go in round one, and saying it's more likely than not that Kirk Cousins is not a starter next season while calling them staying as Falcons backup all year the least likely outcome.

**Claimed:** Apr 10, 2025
**Pundit:** Tom Pelissero — https://missedtakes.co/pundits/tom-pelissero
**Outlet:** The Rich Eisen Show (podcast) — https://missedtakes.co/outlets/the-rich-eisen-show-podcast
**How it reached us:** said on air, transcribed by us
**Original:** https://www.podtrac.com/pts/redirect.mp3/traffic.megaphone.fm/WWO4523950911.mp3?updated=1744313028

One checkable claim, graded on its own against what actually happened.

It names 2 players and teams, each linked to their own record.

The call scored 100 out of 100, against 50 for a naive guess at the same calls.

> The Titans, again, nothing final, but we anticipate it's Cam Ward at number one overall because they just can't pass up that quarterback.

*(their words, quoted for attribution)*

## The claims

- **Cam Ward to be picked at number 1**
  - Kind: Mock Draft Picks · About: Cam Ward, Tennessee Titans
  - Verdict: scored 100 out of 100, against 50 for a naive guess

## Who this take is about

- Cam Ward — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/cam-ward
- Tennessee Titans — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/titans

## What others said about the same people

- Shaun Calderon on Jeffery Simmons: Calderon argues the 0-5 Titans won't turn their season around, that Cam Ward won't be benched soon, and that Jeffery Simmons stays in Tennessee while Tony Pollard and Calvin Ridley are likely trade candidates with modest returns. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/fcfebcd7-04de-406f-aa74-4c404a9f8b0e (scored 0)
- Lane Mills on Tennessee Titans: Mills predicts the Titans finish 2026 at 6-11 (2-4 in the AFC South), missing the playoffs, with specific wins over the Jets, Giants, Browns, Jaguars, Raiders and Colts, and names Wan'Dale Robinson team MVP with another 1,000-yard, seven-touchdown season as Cam Ward's top receiver. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/5a2c4e6d-57dd-4dc9-9f27-c1446726f490 (scored 0)
- Nathan Jahnke on K.J. Osborn: An unsigned PFF preseason recap makes numerous depth-chart, roster and usage projections across the league, based on Week 3 preseason playing time — including Roman Wilson winning Pittsburgh's third receiver job, Luke McCaffrey's roster spot being in danger, Charlie Kolar as the Chargers' top tight end, and Kendre Miller as the Saints' RB2. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/47566b48-8024-4960-b25c-11c03fe43543 (scored 100)
- Gennaro Filice on Tennessee Titans: The lone NFL.com pick for Tennessee, projecting a low-scoring 14-13 Titans upset built on their defensive front containing Jonathan Taylor. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/82b9c77a-e26d-4ea7-ac0f-51e169b90170 (scored 88.1)
- Dan Graziano on Tennessee Titans: The lone ESPN pick for Tennessee, taking the Titans to beat the Colts. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/3e2b2f7e-ad60-423a-9f5e-6114c8c1c48d (scored 100)
- Tyler Sullivan on Tennessee Titans: Sullivan says it would not surprise them if the Titans beat the Colts for their first win of the season, arguing the line is too big in the divisional matchup. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/df50c99c-c644-4281-a89f-8e4fa9499a42 (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)

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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

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