# John Middlekauff: Middlekauff hammers the Rams for taking quarterback Ty Simpson 13th overall, arguing Simpson's ceiling is only that of a 10th-to-15th-best NFL quarterback and that the pick can't repay its cost. They also caution against the 2027 quarterback hype, saying that based on last season's play Dante Moore, not Arch Manning, would be their No. 1 overall pick. **Claimed:** Apr 27, 2026 **Pundit:** John Middlekauff — https://missedtakes.co/pundits/john-middlekauff **Outlet:** 3 and Out with John Middlekauff (podcast) — https://missedtakes.co/outlets/3-and-out-with-john-middlekauff-podcast **How it reached us:** said on air or in an interview **Original:** https://omny.fm/shows/3-and-out-with-john-middlekauff/nfl-post-draft-reaction-steelers-botch-makai-lemon-pick-rams-overdraft-ty-simpson-bad-draft-for-49ers 2 checkable claims — 1 draft bust call and 1 mock draft pick — each graded on its own rather than as one all-or-nothing call. It names 3 players and teams, each linked to their own record. 1 of 2 have settled so far, averaging 0 out of 100, against 50 for a naive guess at the same calls. > His best case scenario is to be like the tenth to fifteenth quarterback in the NFL, that's best case scenario. *(their words, quoted for attribution)* ## The claims - **Matt Moore to be picked at number 1** - Kind: Mock Draft Picks · About: Matt Moore - Verdict: scored 0 out of 100, against 50 for a naive guess - **Ty Simpson to disappoint at the next level** - Kind: Draft Bust Calls · About: Ty Simpson, Los Angeles Rams - Verdict: not settled yet ## Who this take is about - Matt Moore — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/matt-moore - Ty Simpson — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/ty-simpson - Los Angeles Rams — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/rams ## What others said about the same people - Colin Cowherd on Matthew Stafford: Cowherd predicts Matt Stafford stays with the Rams rather than moving on, and says Travis Hunter may underachieve because they're being asked to play both ways — Cowherd doubts they're a No. 1 receiver and would slot them as a No. 2 receiver while being a No. 1 corner. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/005e6ad1-bc95-49da-9db2-3a9da2d5041d (scored 100) - Colin Cowherd on Matthew Stafford: Cowherd believes Matt Stafford's public negotiation posturing means he ultimately stays in Los Angeles, and he flags Travis Hunter as a high draft pick who could underachieve because trying to play both cornerback and receiver full-time will hurt him. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/2c1faeb3-7adb-456d-bd42-275be95269e8 (scored 100) - Pete Prisco on Los Angeles Rams: Prisco gives score predictions for every Week 9 NFL game, picking the Bengals to rout the Falcons in Madrid, the Cowboys to rebound at Indianapolis, and the Jaguars to win in Baltimore without Lamar Jackson. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/dc43909b-bc7f-47aa-b208-5cf7c95844bc (scored 92.86) - Chris Simms on Los Angeles Rams: Simms gave a predicted final score for every Week 9 game, picking the Bengals, Chiefs, Broncos, Lions, Giants, Rams, Cowboys, Saints, 49ers, Patriots, Seahawks, Texans, Bears and Bills, and also said they wouldn't be shocked to see Jacksonville reach the AFC Championship Game. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/17eb747a-90b1-472f-bb6d-e71c0c69133a (scored 92.86) - Connor Rogers on Los Angeles Rams: Rogers picked straight-up winners in every Week 9 game, agreeing with Simms on all of them, and gave a 24-20 Bills score over the Vikings on Monday night. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/11646f69-18dd-4831-a7de-e4115ded875c (scored 100) - Jordan Dajani on Los Angeles Rams: Dajani picked all seven featured Week 9 games with final scores, including a blowout Jaguars win in Baltimore, an Atlanta upset of Cincinnati in Madrid, and a narrow Bills win in Minneapolis. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/103d86e2-5305-4b84-af26-05220db83778 (scored 92.86) ## More draft bust calls The same kind of call, about other players and teams. - Carter Bahns on Ashton Jeanty: Bahns predicts Ashton Jeanty's role in Las Vegas will continue to shrink, with Mike Washington Jr. functioning as a co-starter/early-down back while Jeanty becomes a receiving-game specialist rather than the every-down featured back they were drafted to be. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/ebc5009a-aaec-483a-8b72-b2005466bf45 (not settled) - Jason Fitz on Cam Ward: Fitz predicted Joe Burrow will win NFL MVP, argued Cam Ward is on track to be remembered as the worst No. 1 overall bust since JaMarcus Russell, said the Titans could very likely land the No. 1 pick again, expects Jacksonville to blow out the Colts, sees Indiana's Charlie Becker as a high first-round pick, and believes Lamar Jackson stays in Baltimore long-term. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/b0053c55-e7b4-4cd5-b7ff-0f4f75a6eeda (not settled) - Carter Bahns on Anthony Richardson: Reviewing the moves that led to Chris Ballard's firing, Bahns judges Anthony Richardson, taken No. 4 overall in 2023, a bust who has failed to justify their first-round draft slot. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/489587cb-b95b-436f-afe7-1eb547833faf (not settled) - John Shipley on Jack Kiser: Shipley declares linebacker Jack Kiser, taken 107th overall in the fourth round of the 2025 draft, the Jaguars' first draft bust of the new Coen/Gladstone/Boselli regime after Cincinnati claimed them on waivers. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/87f2f656-5cde-4e4c-b30f-fffd5e5d1778 (not settled) - Carter Bahns on J.J. McCarthy: Bahns argues McCarthy's Minnesota tenure was a bust and that they are unlikely to ever live up to their No. 10 overall draft billing, predicting the Giants' low-cost gamble won't pay off and that they may not even beat out Jameis Winston for the starting job. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/02341f40-99de-4692-85a8-db11b66f4966 (not settled) - John Green on T.J. Sanders: Green expects the Bills to place second-year defensive lineman T.J. Sanders on injured reserve while Phidarian Mathis returns from suspension to the active roster, and argues Sanders is already trending toward bust status relative to their No. 41 overall selection. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/26609082-1dfb-4294-854d-59dfee0c58aa (not settled) --- 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=john-middlekauff