Greg Auman· Aug 31, 2026
In defining success for all 32 teams in 2026, Auman predicts the Cardinals end up picking in the top five and taking a quarterback, suggests Jeremiah Smith may be the first non-quarterback drafted, restates his spring Super Bowl pick of the Chargers, and forecasts Josh Allen returning to 30-plus passing touchdowns.
“But realistically, the Cardinals are picking in the top five and taking a quarterback.”
published in writing · Fox Sports · read the original →
4 checkable claims — 1 player season number, 1 position order call, 1 super bowl pick and 1 team draft slot call — each graded on its own rather than as one all-or-nothing bet.
It names 5 players and teams, each linked to their own record.
None of them have settled yet — they grade once their results are in.
Of the 1 unsettled call enough other pundits have weighed in on, this one lands above the rest of the room.
Where this call stands in the room
Josh Allen · 2026 season · passing tds5 calls from 3 pundits between 1 passing tds and 40 passing tds. Greg Auman said 30 passing tds. the room's median is 24.5 passing tds. 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
4 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.
- Team Draft Slot CallsArizona CardinalsAug 31, 2026
Arizona Cardinals to pick “picking in the top five” (picks 1–5)
“But realistically, the Cardinals are picking in the top five and taking a quarterback.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Super Bowl PicksLos Angeles ChargersAug 31, 2026
Los Angeles Chargers to win the Super Bowl
“I picked the Chargers to win the Super Bowl this spring, so they need to win a playoff game or two just to make that pick not look embarrassing.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Player Season NumbersJosh AllenBuffalo BillsAug 31, 2026
Josh Allen to record 30 passing tds
“His passing touchdowns in the last six years are 37-36-35-29-28-25, but we'll say that downward trend ends and he's back at 30-plus touchdown passes.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Position Order CallsJeremiah SmithAug 31, 2026
Jeremiah Smith to be the first non-QB off the board non-QB off the board
“There's a void at receiver, so if you can land Ohio State's Jeremiah Smith as a No. 1 target for Willis, that's great. But he might be the first non-QB off the board, so even six wins could take him off the board.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
What others said about the same people
- Chris SimmsScore Predictions · Buffalo BillsHit · 100Simms went through the entire Week 3 slate with straight-up winners and predicted final scores, taking Jacksonville, Buffalo, Cincinnati, Detroit, Houston, Carolina, Kansas City, Seattle, the Giants, Baltimore, New Orleans, Minnesota, San Francisco, Denver and Philadelphia. He also expected Zay Flowers and Puka Nacua to sit, Kyler Murray to play, and said Marvin Harrison Jr. projects as no better than a good No. 2 or high-end No. 3 receiver.
- Chris LongGame Outcome Picks · Buffalo BillsHit · 100Long liked the Rams over the Broncos on Sunday night even without Puka Nacua, and expected the Bills to beat the winless Chargers in Buffalo. He also backed the Bengals over the Steelers, expected an angry Detroit team to handle the Jets, and still thought both the Lions and Vikings could win the NFC North.
- Sam MonsonGame Outcome Picks · Los Angeles ChargersMiss · 0Monson picked the Chargers to beat the Bills outright (jokingly crediting Buffalo's gray 'Nickel City' jerseys), took the Vikings to win outright in Tampa, and said Seattle would destroy Washington. He also reiterated his Super Bowl pick of Denver over the Rams, called the Dolphins destined for the No. 1 overall pick, and said the Saints are a worst-to-first candidate in the NFC South.
- Ralph VentreRoster Spot Calls · Christian BenfordMiss · 0Ventre expects Christian Benford's toe injury to sideline him for at least the Week 4 game against New England, and believes the Bills will have to add a cornerback to the 53-man roster this week — likely by moving Benford to injured reserve — with practice squad rookie Kani Walker the most likely player elevated.
- David DroegemeierTrade and Signing Calls · Mekhi BectonHit · 100Drogemeier says the Chargers cutting Mekhi Becton is a foregone conclusion, freeing nearly $9 million in cap space, and only a matter of when.
- Mina KimesTrade and Signing Calls · Mekhi BectonHit · 100Kimes projects Washington receiver Denzel Boston as a second-half-of-the-first-round pick and expects the Chargers to move on from Mekhi Becton.
More position order calls
The same kind of call, about other players and teams.
- Ryan WilsonPosition Order Calls · J.J. McCarthyHit · 100Recalling 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.
- Nick ShookPosition Order Calls · Olaivavega IoaneMiss · 35Shook 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.
- Rhett LewisPosition Order Calls · Tyler ShoughHit · 100Lewis names Louisville's Tyler Shough as the new QB3 of the class — the third quarterback off the board — and views Milroe as a second-round selection.
- Nick WrightPosition Order Calls · Carnell TateHit · 100Nick Wright laid out his full mock draft 3.0 for the 2026 NFL Draft, pick by pick through the first round, and also predicted AJ Brown would finish top five in the NFL in receiving yards with the Patriots.
- Todd McShayPosition Order Calls · K.C. ConcepcionHit · 100McShay's mock draft 4.0 has Fernando Mendoza and David Bailey going 1-2 to the Raiders and Jets, the Saints trading up to No. 3 for Arvell Reese, the Titans taking Jeremiah Love at 4, the Giants taking Francis Mauigoa at 5 (though he'd now switch to Sonny Styles), the Cowboys trading up to 6, the Jets trading up to 7 for Carnell Tate, and Arizona trading up to 30 for Ty Simpson. He also predicts seven offensive tackles go in the first round and that Love, Styles, Downs and Reese all go in the top seven.
- Keith SanchezPosition Order Calls · Jordyn TysonClose · 71As relayed by Harrison, Sanchez's latest mock draft has Carnell Tate going to Washington, Jordan Tyson as the first receiver off the board at No. 5 to the Giants, Makai Lemmon at 11 and Chris Brasel at 30 to Miami, Sonny Styles at No. 8 to New Orleans, and Caleb Downs at No. 13 to the Rams.