Thomas Martinez· Oct 26, 2026
Martinez projects the winless Chargers to hold the No. 1 overall pick in the 2027 draft and mocks five rounds for them, starting with Ohio State receiver Jeremiah Smith first overall and continuing with Zabien Brown, John Henry Daley, Cade Uluave, A.J Holmes Jr. and Evan Tengesdahl. He also expects Los Angeles to move on from Khalil Mack.
“This is the easiest pick that the entire NFL world would make without hesitation.”
published in writing · Sports Illustrated · read the original →
11 checkable claims — 6 mock draft picks, 2 depth chart calls, 1 position order call, 1 team draft slot call and 1 trade and signing call — each graded on its own rather than as one all-or-nothing call.
It names 10 players and teams, each linked to their own record.
None of them have settled yet — they grade once their results are in.
Of the 4 unsettled calls enough other pundits have weighed in on, this one lands below the rest of the room on every one.
Where this call stands in the room
Los Angeles Chargers · 2026 season · overall pick7 calls from 7 pundits between 1 overall pick and 29 overall pick. Thomas Martinez said 1 overall pick. the room's median is 1 overall pick. not settled yet
Every dot is a call somebody published on the same question. Where the dots land says where this take sits, not whether it is right — nothing here is settled yet. Hover a dot for the name and number; click it to read that take.
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Who this take is about
11 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 PicksZabien BrownLos Angeles ChargersOct 26, 2026
Zabien Brown to be picked “Round 2”
“Round 2: Cornerback Zabien Brown, Alabama”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
John Henry Daley to be picked “Round 3”
“Round 3: Edge Rusher John Henry Daley, Michigan”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Trade and Signing CallsKhalil MackOct 26, 2026
Khalil Mack to move — “Chargers moving forward without him”
“In all likelihood, the Chargers will be moving forward without Khalil Mack.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Team Draft Slot CallsLos Angeles ChargersOct 26, 2026
Los Angeles Chargers to pick at number 1
“The Chargers and Dolphins are the favorites to land the number one overall pick... Right now the Chargers have the number one pick and let's run through that scenario in a mock draft.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Tuli Tuipulotu to be 1st on the depth chart
“Tuli Tuipulotu and Akheem Mesidor will be the edge anchors”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
A.J. Holmes Jr. to be picked “Round 4”
“Round 4: Defensive Tackle A.J Holmes Jr., Texas Tech”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Akheem Mesidor to be 1st on the depth chart
“Tuli Tuipulotu and Akheem Mesidor will be the edge anchors”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Jeremiah Smith to be picked at number 1
“2027 Mock Draft — Round 1- WR Jeremiah Smith, Ohio State. This is the easiest pick that the entire NFL world would make without hesitation.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Position Order CallsJeremiah SmithOct 26, 2026
Jeremiah Smith to be 1st wide receiver off the board
“this draft class has several top wide receiver prospects who could help immediately but Smith stands alone at the top of the class.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Mock Draft PicksCade UluaveLos Angeles ChargersOct 26, 2026
Cade Uluave to be picked “Round 3 Projected compensatory pick”
“Round 3 Projected compensatory pick: Linebacker Cade Uluave, BYU”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Evan Tengesdahl to be picked “Round 5”
“Round 5: Guard Evan Tengesdahl, Cincinnati”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
What others said about the same people
- Tyler SullivanGame Outcome Picks · Los Angeles ChargersMiss · 0Sullivan flags five Week 9 underdogs he expects to pull upsets: the Packers at New England, the Vikings over Buffalo, the winless Chargers over Houston, the Panthers over Denver, and the Falcons over Cincinnati in Madrid.
- Kevin WildesGame Outcome Picks · Los Angeles ChargersMiss · 0Wildes used his upset alert on the winless Chargers to beat the Rams.
- Greg AumanScore Predictions · Los Angeles ChargersMiss · 21Auman predicts an all-Los Angeles Super Bowl with the Chargers beating the Rams 24-21.
- Nick WrightGame Outcome Picks · Los Angeles ChargersMiss · 0Nick Wright ran through his projected 2025 records for all 16 AFC teams, calling Baltimore a 13-win regular-season juggernaut, Houston a 12-win team with the league's best defense, and going under on the Jets, Bengals, Steelers and Chargers; he also picked the Chiefs' game-by-game schedule to 12-5 and said Buffalo wins the AFC East.
- Eric ManginiGame Outcome Picks · Los Angeles ChargersMiss · 0Mangini took the Titans to upset the Texans, and in the chips segment backed the Chargers to upset Denver, the Patriots over the Raiders, and the Rams over the Bills.
- Nick WrightGame Outcome Picks · Los Angeles ChargersMiss · 0Amid a Week 5 betting-picks show, Wright made a few straight outcome calls: a Houston blowout of Tennessee by a 27-7 score, a Seattle home win over San Francisco by a touchdown, an outright Raiders win at New England, and the winless Chargers finally beating Denver. He also said he does not believe Lamar Jackson will play against Atlanta.
More mock draft picks
The same kind of call, about other players and teams.
- Chris SimmsMock Draft Picks · Malachi CorleyMiss · 11Simms 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; he 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.
- Todd McShayMock Draft Picks · Keelon RussellMiss · 0While 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.
- Philip HughesMock Draft Picks · Kyle KennardMiss · 34Evaluating edge rusher Kyle Kennard ahead of the draft, the account projected him as a Day 2 selection.
- Blaine GrisakMock Draft Picks · Brian Thomas Jr.Hit · 84Grisak 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 his own from the 2024 pre-draft period, he suggested the Rams could select Thomas at pick No. 19.
- Charlie CampbellMock Draft Picks · Xavier WilliamsMiss · 0Campbell'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 he declares.
- WaltMock Draft Picks · Fernando MendozaHit · 100In 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 his 2026 mock draft.