Field Yates· Oct 23, 2026
In his latest mock draft, Yates has the Chargers taking Ohio State wide receiver Jeremiah Smith with the No. 1 overall pick.
“a pathetic season so far for the Chargers can be traced to several factors, one of which is that the team has no difference-makers among its pass catchers”
published in writing · Sports Illustrated · read the original →
2 checkable claims — 1 mock draft pick and 1 team draft slot call — each graded on its own rather than as one all-or-nothing call.
It names 2 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 below the rest of the room on every one.
Where this call stands in the room
Los Angeles Chargers · 2026 season · overall pick7 calls from 7 pundits between 1 overall pick and 29 overall pick. Field Yates said 1 overall pick. the room's median is 1 overall pick. 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.
Their call against the room
overall pickTheir call against everyone else's, while this is still unsettled.
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Who this take is about
2 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 CallsLos Angeles ChargersOct 23, 2026
Los Angeles Chargers to pick at number 1
“Field Yates at ESPN had the Chargers making such a pick in his latest mock draft”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Jeremiah Smith to be picked at number 1
“Field Yates at ESPN had the Chargers making such a pick in his latest mock draft”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
What others said about the same people
- Tyler SullivanGame Outcome Picks · Los Angeles ChargersMiss · 0Sullivan flags five Week 9 underdogs he expects to pull upsets: the Packers at New England, the Vikings over Buffalo, the winless Chargers over Houston, the Panthers over Denver, and the Falcons over Cincinnati in Madrid.
- Kevin WildesGame Outcome Picks · Los Angeles ChargersMiss · 0Wildes used his upset alert on the winless Chargers to beat the Rams.
- Greg AumanScore Predictions · Los Angeles ChargersMiss · 21Auman predicts an all-Los Angeles Super Bowl with the Chargers beating the Rams 24-21.
- Nick WrightGame Outcome Picks · Los Angeles ChargersMiss · 0Nick Wright ran through his projected 2025 records for all 16 AFC teams, calling Baltimore a 13-win regular-season juggernaut, Houston a 12-win team with the league's best defense, and going under on the Jets, Bengals, Steelers and Chargers; he also picked the Chiefs' game-by-game schedule to 12-5 and said Buffalo wins the AFC East.
- Eric ManginiGame Outcome Picks · Los Angeles ChargersMiss · 0Mangini took the Titans to upset the Texans, and in the chips segment backed the Chargers to upset Denver, the Patriots over the Raiders, and the Rams over the Bills.
- Nick WrightGame Outcome Picks · Los Angeles ChargersMiss · 0Amid a Week 5 betting-picks show, Wright made a few straight outcome calls: a Houston blowout of Tennessee by a 27-7 score, a Seattle home win over San Francisco by a touchdown, an outright Raiders win at New England, and the winless Chargers finally beating Denver. He also said he does not believe Lamar Jackson will play against Atlanta.
More mock draft picks
The same kind of call, about other players and teams.
- Chris SimmsMock Draft Picks · Malachi CorleyMiss · 11Simms 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; he 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.
- Todd McShayMock Draft Picks · Keelon RussellMiss · 0While 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.
- Philip HughesMock Draft Picks · Kyle KennardMiss · 34Evaluating edge rusher Kyle Kennard ahead of the draft, the account projected him as a Day 2 selection.
- Blaine GrisakMock Draft Picks · Brian Thomas Jr.Hit · 84Grisak 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 his own from the 2024 pre-draft period, he suggested the Rams could select Thomas at pick No. 19.
- Charlie CampbellMock Draft Picks · Xavier WilliamsMiss · 0Campbell'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 he declares.
- WaltMock Draft Picks · Fernando MendozaHit · 100In 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 his 2026 mock draft.