Ross Jackson#21 of 87 NFL pundits · Feb 26, 2026
Previewing the 2026 edge rusher combine class for the Saints, Jackson pegged Arvell Reese as a possible top-two pick, put Akeem Mesidore in the late first/early second round range, gave Romello Height a Day 2-to-fourth-round range, and predicted Derek Carr would unretire and be traded away from New Orleans for roughly fifth-round value.
Said on air, transcribed by us · Locked On Saints (podcast)Hear the original
What Ross Jackson said
our reading, beside the words we read it fromHe's gonna lead off this list because he might be one of the first players off the board as early as the second pick in this draft.
- Where it was said
- Locked On Saints (podcast)
- The episode
- ELITE EDGEs: New Orleans Saints DE Targets To Watch At NFL Combine Led By Arvell Reese, David Bailey
- The original
- Hear the original
- Read it wrong?
- Tell us and we will look
- SaidFeb 26
- GradedOct 1
- 1Akheem Mesidor to be picked “could sneak it to the bottom of the first round, could be there at the top of day two” (picks 1–32)“This is a guy that could sneak it to the bottom of the first round, could be there at the top of day two as well.”
- 2Romello Height to be picked “second, third, fourth round” (picks 33–140)“But, man, like, second, third, fourth round, wherever it is that he goes, could be a good investment.”
- 3Derek Carr to move“There's no future for Derek Carr in New Orleans. He ain't gonna be a saint. And so you ship them off for what it is that you can get”
- 4Arvell Reese to be picked “as early as the second pick in this draft”“So he's gonna lead off this list because he might be one of the first players off the board as early as the second pick in this draft.”
Box score
HitCloseMissWaiting| Verdict | Call | Kind | What happened | Score | Naive | Skill |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Akheem Mesidor to be picked “could sneak it to the bottom of the first round, could be there at the top of day two” (picks 1–32)1 | Mock Draft Picks | Went 22 | 100 | 50 | — | |
| Romello Height to be picked “second, third, fourth round” (picks 33–140)2 | Mock Draft Picks | Went 70 | 100 | 50 | — | |
| Derek Carr to move3 | Trade and Signing Calls | — | — | — | — | |
| Arvell Reese to be picked “as early as the second pick in this draft”4 | Mock Draft Picks | — | — | — | — | |
| 4 calls · 2 hits · 2 waiting | 100 | 50 | ||||
How each call scored
a naive guessbetter than naive4 checkable claims — 3 mock draft picks and 1 trade and signing call — each graded on its own rather than as one all-or-nothing call.
It names 5 players and teams, each linked to their own record.
2 of 4 have settled so far, averaging 100 out of 100, against 50 for a naive guess at the same calls.
Each call is scored 0 to 100 against what happened, on its own, by the published methodology. The naive guess is what knowing nothing would have scored on the same calls; the gap, weighted by how hard the call was, is the skill.
Their call against what happened
overall pickTheir call against what actually happened.
1Mock Draft PicksAkheem MesidorMiami Dolphins
Akheem Mesidor to be picked “could sneak it to the bottom of the first round, could be there at the top of day two” (picks 1–32)
What happenedWent 22100Hit · naive 50Think this is wrong?How this was scored
- draft:
- 2026
- naive:
- a shuffled mock scores 50
- player:
- Akheem Mesidor
- season:
- 2025
- zero credit this far off:
- 32
- accuracy:
- 100
- baseline:
- 50
- actual pick:
- 22
- difficulty:
- 1
- weeks in the season:
- 18
- pick accuracy:
- 100
- predicted pick:
- could sneak it to the bottom of the first round, could be there at the top of day two (picks 1–32)
- weeks left when called:
- 0
- mock ordering score:
- only one pick — no order to score
2Mock Draft PicksRomello Height
Romello Height to be picked “second, third, fourth round” (picks 33–140)
What happenedWent 70100Hit · naive 50Think this is wrong?How this was scored
- draft:
- 2026
- naive:
- a shuffled mock scores 50
- player:
- Romello Height
- season:
- 2025
- zero credit this far off:
- 32
- accuracy:
- 100
- baseline:
- 50
- actual pick:
- 70
- difficulty:
- 1
- weeks in the season:
- 18
- pick accuracy:
- 100
- predicted pick:
- second, third, fourth round (picks 33–140)
- weeks left when called:
- 0
- mock ordering score:
- only one pick — no order to score
3Trade and Signing CallsDerek Carr
Derek Carr to move
VerdictWaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Arvell Reese to be picked “as early as the second pick in this draft”
VerdictWaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- All
The take as a whole
the average of 2 settled calls, each counted once
100naive 50
Who this take is about
Others on the same people
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More mock draft picks
The same kind of call, about other players and teams.
Chris Simms · Mock Draft Picks · Malachi Corley · Miss 11
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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.