# John Middlekauff: On their Three and Out podcast, Middlekauff gave ten bold predictions for the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft: Fernando Mendoza first overall as the only first-round quarterback, Ty Simpson falling out of round one, Jeremiah Love sliding out of the top five, Sonny Styles to the Titans at four, Omar Cooper as the second receiver drafted, the Lions trading up for a tackle, and Aaron Rodgers' return being announced around draft week. **Claimed:** Apr 23, 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/10-bold-predictions-heading-into-the-nfl-draft 7 checkable claims — 4 mock draft picks, 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 9 players and teams, each linked to their own record. 5 of 7 have settled so far, averaging 44.6 out of 100, against 42.9 for a naive guess at the same calls. > So my bold prediction is Jeremiah Love does not go in the top five. *(their words, quoted for attribution)* ## The claims - **Ty Simpson to be picked “does not go in the first round” (picks 1–32)** - Kind: Mock Draft Picks · About: Ty Simpson - Verdict: scored 0 out of 100, against 50 for a naive guess - **Fernando Mendoza to be picked at number 1** - Kind: Mock Draft Picks · About: Fernando Mendoza - Verdict: scored 100 out of 100, against 50 for a naive guess - **Sonny Styles to be picked at number 4** - Kind: Mock Draft Picks · About: Sonny Styles, Tennessee Titans - Verdict: scored 87.81 out of 100, against 50 for a naive guess - **Jeremiyah Love to be picked “does not go in the top five” (picks 1–5)** - Kind: Mock Draft Picks · About: Jeremiyah Love - Verdict: scored 0 out of 100, against 50 for a naive guess - **Omar Cooper to be 2nd wide receiver off the board** - Kind: Position Order Calls · About: Omar Cooper - Verdict: scored 35.36 out of 100, against 14.51 for a naive guess - **Aaron Rodgers to move to Pittsburgh Steelers** - Kind: Trade and Signing Calls · About: Aaron Rodgers, Pittsburgh Steelers - Verdict: not settled yet - **Detroit Lions to pick “moving up seven or eight spots”** - Kind: Team Draft Slot Calls · About: Detroit Lions - Verdict: not settled yet ## Who this take is about - Ty Simpson — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/ty-simpson - Fernando Mendoza — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/fernando-mendoza - Sonny Styles — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/sonny-styles - Tennessee Titans — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/titans - Jeremiyah Love — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/jeremiyah-love - Omar Cooper — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/omar-cooper - Aaron Rodgers — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/aaron-rodgers - Pittsburgh Steelers — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/steelers - Detroit Lions — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/lions ## What others said about the same people - Shaun Calderon on Jeffery Simmons: Calderon argues the 0-5 Titans won't turn their season around, that Cam Ward won't be benched soon, and that Jeffery Simmons stays in Tennessee while Tony Pollard and Calvin Ridley are likely trade candidates with modest returns. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/fcfebcd7-04de-406f-aa74-4c404a9f8b0e (scored 0) - Bryan DeArdo on Joey Porter Jr.: The piece predicts Joey Porter Jr. most likely stays with the Steelers through 2026, while listing possible trade destinations if they were moved. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/a6edcb85-bcff-47cb-ba7d-e09dc7549fe1 (scored 0) - Rich Eisen on Aaron Rodgers: Eisen ranked their top five most impressive Pro Bowl campaigns of the season, topped by Sam Darnold, and predicted that Sunday would be Aaron Rodgers' last game with the Jets. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/55a977f9-9670-42fa-ba2f-141be02f583c (scored 0) - Christian Booher on Anthony Lucas: Booher previews the Lions' Week 9 trip to Miami, predicting Derrick Barnes takes over as the green-dot linebacker in Jack Campbell's absence, Juice Scruggs starts at center, and boldly forecasting Detroit's first defensive touchdown of the season on an Aidan Hutchinson strip-sack recovered and returned by Barnes. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/228a7c0e-608b-4043-a8fa-eb3f8b2c4ce8 (scored 0) - Pete Prisco on Detroit Lions: 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 83.33) - Evan “Foxy” Fox on Detroit Lions: Foxy predicted a blowout Lions win over the Dolphins by a score of 45-21. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/eaf09464-1ce1-44e7-90a0-a02ac2960db9 (scored 66.67) ## More mock draft picks The same kind of call, about other players and teams. - Chris Simms on Malachi Corley: Simms 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; they 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. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/c0fd4647-2de8-4a5f-bac2-950fed303ee9 (scored 11.46) - Todd McShay on Keelon Russell: While 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. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/15d40546-2ab9-4ab8-b5bd-ed0ef7f26ae5 (scored 0) - Philip Hughes on Kyle Kennard: Evaluating edge rusher Kyle Kennard ahead of the draft, the account projected them as a Day 2 selection. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/605a686a-b5f1-4611-82b4-961abf8de93e (scored 33.86) - Blaine Grisak on Brian Thomas Jr.: Grisak 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 their own from the 2024 pre-draft period, they suggested the Rams could select Thomas at pick No. 19. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/627bcf5d-9f1d-4a34-a1b7-53b8f0aebc40 (scored 84.09) - Charlie Campbell on Xavier Williams: 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. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/2dd4bf46-e5eb-4dff-8500-95d9fdbd2986 (scored 0) - Walt on Garrett Nussmeier: In 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 their 2026 mock draft. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/29bb2d31-fbe3-40db-b378-be5ba5d990b0 (scored 0) --- 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