Matt Verderame#83 of 87 NFL pundits · Jun 19, 2026
Matt ranked the Chiefs' position groups (corner 5th, DT 4th, TE 3rd, RB 2nd, OL 1st) and along the way predicted rookie corner Mansoor Delane would be a Pro Bowl-level player immediately, called Chris Jones a top-three defensive tackle and likely All-Pro, Travis Kelce still a top-five tight end, and Kenneth Walker a top-10 running back. They also expect Brendan Sorsby to be taken in the third or fourth round of the supplemental draft.
Said on air, transcribed by us · KC Sports Network (podcast)Hear the original
What Matt Verderame said
our reading, beside the words we read it fromI think he will be a Pro Bowl level player immediately.
- Where it was said
- KC Sports Network (podcast)
- The episode
- That Football Show 6/19: Ranking The Top 5 Chiefs Position Groups Right Now
- The original
- Hear the original
- Read it wrong?
- Tell us and we will look
- 1R Mason Thomas to be 1st on the depth chart“I think our Mason Thomas might be the guy.”
- 2Travis Kelce to finish top 5 at his position, by receiving yards“it's Travis Kalceane. And he's still top five in the league.”
- 3Chris Jones to finish top 3 at his position, by an unstated measure“Chris Jones is still a top, what, three defensive tackle on football if he's not even the best.”
- 4Chris Jones to make All-Pro“I don't think anybody be stunned if he's all pro this year. Nobody would be like, wow. I can't believe Chris Jones made it.”
- 5Kenneth Walker III to finish top 10 at his position, by rushing yards“I think Walker is a top 10 ish back.”
- 6Brendan Sorsby to be picked “third to fourth round pick” (picks 97–140)“I would expect that he'll be drafted. And I think he's probably a third to fourth round pick, somewhere in there.”
- 7Mansoor Delane to make Pro Bowl“I think he's going to be a star right away. I think he will be a Pro Bowl level player immediately.”
Box score
HitCloseMissWaiting| Verdict | Call | Kind | What happened | Score | Naive | Skill |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| R Mason Thomas to be 1st on the depth chart1 | Depth Chart Calls | — | — | — | — | |
| Travis Kelce to finish top 5 at his position, by receiving yards2 | Positional Finishes | — | — | — | — | |
| Chris Jones to finish top 3 at his position, by an unstated measure3 | Positional Finishes | — | — | — | — | |
| Chris Jones to make All-Pro4 | Pro Bowl and All-Pro Calls | — | — | — | — | |
| Kenneth Walker III to finish top 10 at his position, by rushing yards5 | Positional Finishes | — | — | — | — | |
| Brendan Sorsby to be picked “third to fourth round pick” (picks 97–140)6 | Mock Draft Picks | — | — | — | — | |
| Mansoor Delane to make Pro Bowl7 | Pro Bowl and All-Pro Calls | — | — | — | — | |
| 7 calls · 7 waiting | — | — | ||||
How each call scored
7 checkable claims — 3 positional finishes, 2 pro bowl and all-pro calls, 1 depth chart call and 1 mock draft pick — each graded on its own rather than as one all-or-nothing call.
It names 7 players and teams, each linked to their own record.
None of them have settled yet — they grade once their results are in.
Of the 2 unsettled calls enough other pundits have weighed in on, this one lands above the room on 1 and below it on 1.
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.
1Depth Chart CallsR Mason ThomasKansas City Chiefs
R Mason Thomas to be 1st on the depth chart
VerdictWaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
2Positional FinishesTravis KelceKansas City Chiefs
Travis Kelce to finish top 5 at his position, by receiving yards
VerdictWaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
3Positional FinishesChris JonesKansas City Chiefs
Chris Jones to finish top 3 at his position, by an unstated measure
VerdictWaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
4Pro Bowl and All-Pro CallsChris JonesKansas City Chiefs
Chris Jones to make All-Pro
VerdictWaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
5Positional FinishesKenneth Walker IIIKansas City Chiefs
Kenneth Walker III to finish top 10 at his position, by rushing yards
VerdictWaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
6Mock Draft PicksBrendan Sorsby
Brendan Sorsby to be picked “third to fourth round pick” (picks 97–140)
VerdictWaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
7Pro Bowl and All-Pro CallsMansoor DelaneKansas City Chiefs
Mansoor Delane to make Pro Bowl
VerdictWaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Who this take is about
Others on the same people
Chris Clark · Trade and Signing Calls · Nikko Remigio · Miss 0
Clark expects the Chiefs to bring back exclusive-rights receiver Nico (Remigio) and long snapper James Winchester, to re-sign JuJu Smith-Schuster as a cheap veteran fifth receiver, and not to bring back Hollywood Brown, Josh Dobbs-type depth, Gardner Minshew, Janarius Robinson or Mike Caliendo; they also say the Chiefs will not use a franchise tag and believes Bryan Cook won't return.Gilberto Manzano · Trade and Signing Calls · Josh Downs · Hit 100
Previewing the trade deadline, he expects Justin Herbert to stay in Los Angeles despite the Chargers' 0–7 start, thinks the Jets will keep Garrett Wilson and pair him with their young weapons, expects a receiver-hungry Kansas City to be aggressive with Josh Downs the likeliest target, and suggests expiring Eagles contracts Moro Ojomo and Riq Woolen could be dealt for mid-round picks.Joshua Poniatowski · Trade and Signing Calls · Josh Downs · Hit 100
Poniatowski names several trade targets, predicting Malik Willis underperforms this week against New England, that Omarion Hampton could become a viable RB2 if Adam Gase takes over play-calling, that Josh Downs gets traded (ideally to Kansas City, where they'd be a top-24 WR), that Brian Thomas Jr. could be dealt to the Rams or 49ers, and that Travis Kelce remains a consistent weekly TE.Jordan Dajani · Trade and Signing Calls · Josh Downs · Hit 100
After reporting that Colts receiver Josh Downs requested a trade, they identify five clubs as plausible landing spots for them: the Rams, Patriots, Falcons, Chiefs and Raiders, and suggests Las Vegas could also give them a long-term extension.Mike Kadlick · Trade and Signing Calls · Josh Downs · Hit 100
Kadlick names the Chiefs, Patriots and 49ers as the three best trade landing spots for Colts wide receiver Josh Downs ahead of the Nov. 10 deadline.
More positional finishes
The same kind of call, about other players and teams.
Nick Wright · Positional Finishes · Puka Nacua · Close 75
Nick Wright picked the Ravens to beat Houston this weekend even with Lamar Jackson possibly out (leaning on Derrick Henry and Cooper Rush), the Chiefs to win in Jacksonville, and the Rams to beat the 49ers on Thursday night. They also laid out an AFC playoff field of Bills, Steelers, Chiefs, Chargers and Colts, projected the Chiefs' receiver pecking order once Rashee Rice returns, and called Justin Jefferson the best receiver in football with Puka Nacua a top-five receiver.Rich Hribar · Positional Finishes · Matthew Stafford · Hit 100
Hribar published their 2023 fantasy football quarterback tiers, ordering 41 quarterbacks into eight tiers that reflect how they prioritize drafting the position, with Josh Allen, Jalen Hurts and Patrick Mahomes in the top tier as the trio most likely to finish as the overall QB1.Chris Brockman · Positional Finishes · Jaxon Smith-Njigba · Hit 100
Brockman argued Jaxon Smith-Njigba is already the best receiver in the NFL and deserves to be the highest paid, called their shot that three quarterbacks (Mendoza, Ty Simpson, Carson Beck) go in the first round with Mendoza first overall, and suggested New England is headed for a 7-10 season.Pat Gustavson · Positional Finishes · Bijan Robinson · Close 75
Gustafson picks the Patriots, Bills, Seahawks and Bears in the divisional round with a Seahawks-Patriots Super Bowl, predicts Mike Tomlin and Matt LaFleur stay, Aaron Rodgers returns to Pittsburgh, and lays out their own coaching landing spots.Rich Eisen · Positional Finishes · George Pickens · Hit 100
Eisen called the Rams-winning-it-all take an overreaction but expects Los Angeles to win the NFC West, said they don't see how Myles Garrett fails to win Defensive Player of the Year, and called George Pickens perhaps the third-best receiver in the NFL this season.