# Mel Kiper: As relayed on the show, Kiper's mock draft has the Cowboys taking Ohio State linebacker Sonny Styles at No. 12 and Miami pass rusher Akeem Mesador with their second first-round pick.

**Claimed:** Jan 25, 2026
**Pundit:** Mel Kiper — https://missedtakes.co/pundits/mel-kiper
**Outlet:** DLLS Dallas Cowboys (podcast) — https://missedtakes.co/outlets/dlls-dallas-cowboys-podcast
**How it reached us:** said on air, transcribed by us
**Original:** https://tracking.swap.fm/track/xt6bq09fJCm8CxP7DUGF/dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/pscrb.fm/rss/p/mgln.ai/e/822/claritaspod.com/measure/prfx.byspotify.com/e/injector.simplecastaudio.com/d5ae5375-e417-4df4-8c3d-3d7ba352b111/episodes/63756aa5-2794-4730-98ba-e082fe53f2b9/audio/128/default.mp3?aid=rss_feed&awCollectionId=d5ae5375-e417-4df4-8c3d-3d7ba352b111&awEpisodeId=63756aa5-2794-4730-98ba-e082fe53f2b9&feed=4Fqey2NA

2 checkable claims — 2 mock draft picks — each graded on its own rather than as one all-or-nothing bet.

It names 3 players and teams, each linked to their own record.

All 2 have settled, averaging 90.3 out of 100, against 50 for a naive guess at the same calls.

## The claims

- **Akheem Mesidor to be picked “their second first round pick” (picks 1–32)**
  - Kind: Mock Draft Picks · About: Akheem Mesidor, Miami Dolphins
  - Verdict: scored 100 out of 100, against 50 for a naive guess
- **Sonny Styles to be picked at number 12**
  - Kind: Mock Draft Picks · About: Sonny Styles
  - Verdict: scored 80.52 out of 100, against 50 for a naive guess

## Who this take is about

- Akheem Mesidor — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/akheem-mesidor
- Miami Dolphins — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/dolphins
- Sonny Styles — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/sonny-styles

## What others said about the same people

- David Harrison on Sonny Styles: Harrison gives his initial 53-man roster projection for the Washington Commanders: three quarterbacks including Ethan Kalyak Manus, three running backs, four tight ends, six receivers (leaving off De'Ami Brown and Jaden Bradley), nine offensive linemen with Matt Goldman at center, and a defense of six linebackers but only four cornerbacks. He also projects Tunstall and Newton going to IR on Monday with De'Ami Brown and Dietrich Wise re-signed, plus a corner-heavy practice squad. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/1d5b2565-5531-47ac-bff8-ccb9b23a980a (scored 100)
- Tyler DeSena on Kevin Coleman: DeSena expects Chris Bell to function as Miami's X-receiver, with Caleb Douglas as the deep-threat Z and Malik Washington in the slot, and considers Bell, Douglas, Washington and fifth-round rookie Kevin Coleman locks to make the 53-man roster. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/cdf88974-3b99-4342-b7eb-bcf15f82379c (scored 100)
- Alain Poupart on Keith Cooper Jr.: Poupart's third 53-man roster projection of 2026 for the Dolphins names which players make the roster and which are cut at each position group. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/af1013eb-d6fa-476c-b1d9-bc977dff22a5 (scored 0)
- David Harrison on Sonny Styles: Harrison projects the Washington Commanders' initial 53-man roster if it had to be set today, naming 26 offensive players, three specialists and 24 defenders, and also assigns depth-chart slots at quarterback, running back, the offensive line, the interior defensive line, and the return/specialist jobs. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/2e2254ee-daf7-4f82-81d4-2bc73e1b7291 (scored 100)
- Mike Moraitis on Andre Jones Jr.: Moraitis expects Andre Jones Jr. to hold a spot on Miami's 53-man roster after being signed off Buffalo's practice squad, with a significant special teams role under coordinator Chris Tabor. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/aada599b-129d-4866-bc24-0562e28b735c (scored 100)
- Alain Poupart on Jalen Tolbert: Previewing the Dolphins' preseason finale and roster cutdown, Poupart states Malik Willis is locked in as the starting quarterback, Mark Gronowski is effectively gone, and identifies Greg Dulcich and Will Kacmarek as the only certainties at tight end while treating several receivers as settled roster locks. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/ea9d4107-0a88-42a5-8300-186c4a38bef3 (scored 100)

## More mock draft picks

The same kind of call, about other players and teams.

- Ryan Wilson on J.J. McCarthy: Recalling his pre-draft evaluation, Wilson notes he had ranked J.J. McCarthy as the fifth quarterback in the 2024 class and given him a second-round grade rather than a first-round one, citing the gap between Michigan's system and NFL demands. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/44cc5859-8b2b-4fbf-b5c0-62c635f2e357 (scored 36.92)
- Lance Zierlein on Jeremiyah Love: Zierlein laid out his final mock draft: Jeremiah Love at No. 3 to Arizona, Sonny Styles at No. 4 to Robert Saleh's team, and Caleb Downs to the Giants at No. 5. He also called Styles the only first-round linebacker in the class and said Ty Simpson is a lock to be a first-round pick, most likely to Arizona. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/cf600df8-87eb-492b-9d91-f7a2b39104ac (scored 100)
- Nick Shook on Max Iheanachor: Shook walks through his full first-round mock draft, assigning a prospect to every pick from No. 1 to No. 32, headlined by Fernando Mendoza to the Raiders, David Bailey to the Jets and Jeremiah Love to the Cardinals in the top three. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/7d4209aa-2e2d-47a2-b6e5-791d16d209cb (scored 87.81)
- Gregg Rosenthal on K.C. Concepcion: Rosenthal disagrees most with Casey Concepcion being left out of the first round, arguing he could go as high as the top 15 and certainly won't last past receiver-needy teams in the late twenties. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/8fae9a3a-7fd8-454c-99cc-0a8400c35d7d (scored 67.71)
- Daniel Jeremiah on Keyron Crawford: In discussing teams without first-round picks, Jeremiah projected specific Day 2 picks: Clemson WR Antonio Williams to the Falcons at 48, Texas Tech LB Jacob Rodriguez to the Colts in the second round, Oklahoma edge R Mason Thomas to the Packers at 52, and Auburn edge Keiroon Crawford to the Broncos at 62. He also expects Riley Leonard to open as the Colts' starting QB and Travis Hunter to play cornerback full time in Jacksonville. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/f60c916c-1b5f-4252-8733-1770c7809577 (scored 80.52)
- Daniel Jeremiah on Carnell Tate: Jeremiah says Denver, not Kansas City, will be the clear favorite in the AFC West this season; he also puts Carnell Tate sixth and Monroe Freeling twentieth on his prospect board, mocks Tate to Cleveland at No. 6, and expects Georgia receiver Branch to be a Day 2 pick after a strong pro day. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/48a1d189-dc0f-4250-aa3b-0e27119c733a (scored 91.7)

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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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