# Justin Melo: Melo argues Ohio State receiver Jeremiah Smith has a realistic shot to be the No. 1 overall pick in the 2027 NFL Draft, calling him the best prospect in the country and saying positional value shouldn't keep him from going first.

**Claimed:** Sep 13, 2026
**Pundit:** Justin Melo — https://missedtakes.co/pundits/justin-melo
**Outlet:** Sports Illustrated — https://missedtakes.co/outlets/sports-illustrated
**How it reached us:** published in writing
**Original:** https://www.si.com/nfl/draft/onsi/news/jeremiah-smith-makes-boldest-nfl-draft-statement-yet-with-dazzling-ohio-state-texas-performance

One checkable claim, graded on its own against what actually happened.

Nothing to score yet: this grades once the result is in.

Of the 1 unsettled call enough other pundits have weighed in on, this one lands below the rest of the room.

> Smith is the best prospect in the country, and positional value shouldn't play a role in his outcome.

*(their words, quoted for attribution)*

## The claims

- **Jeremiah Smith to be picked at number 1**
  - Kind: Mock Draft Picks · About: Jeremiah Smith
  - Verdict: not settled yet

## Who this take is about

- Jeremiah Smith — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/jeremiah-smith

## What others said about the same people

- Rob Rang on Jeremiah Smith: Rang ranks the four headline prospects from the Texas-Ohio State game in the order he'd draft them (Jeremiah Smith, Arch Manning, Cam Coleman, Julian Sayin) and assigns each a draft grade: Smith and Manning as top-5 picks, Coleman top 10, and Sayin a third-rounder. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/cd619cef-1878-4067-9021-a5ec734d35ed (scored 0)
- Rob Bushka on Jeremiah Smith: Buschka predicted Ohio State receiver Jeremiah Smith could be the No. 1 overall pick in next year's draft, that Ty Simpson will sit as a clipboard-holding backup, that the receiver the Rams passed on (Lemon) will break out with a huge target share once AJ Brown is moved to New England, and he called Sean McVay the best coach in the NFL. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/d22056d2-7d39-488d-bec5-580108e3aca4 (scored 0)
- Daniel Wade on Jeremiah Smith: In a trade-back mock draft, Wade has the Chargers deal pick 22 to Miami and select edge rusher Cassius Howell at 30, guard Keelan Rutledge at 55, cornerback Malik Muhammad at 86, wide receiver Brennan Thompson at 87, linebacker Keyshawn Elliott at 123, and offensive tackle Travis Burke at 151. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/19828eac-29a1-4ecc-9d93-9e95f149a1f2 (scored 0)
- Charlie Campbell on Jeremiah Smith: Campbell projects several 2027 draft prospects: the Texas edge defender (listed as Colin Williams but referred to as Simmons) as a top-10 to top-20 pick after a five-sack game, Jeremiah Smith as the first non-quarterback off the board, Greg Johnson with first-round potential, Arion Carter as a Day 2 pick, and a sliding John Mateer as a Day 3 prospect. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/bc47db98-e33c-477d-bcae-a43c0ec640b8 (not settled)
- Charlie Campbell on Jeremiah Smith: A 2027 NFL Draft stock report predicts Ohio State WR Jeremiah Smith will be one of the first players drafted in the coming April draft, projects him as an elite No. 1 NFL receiver with early-career Pro Bowl potential, and says Arizona State WR Reed Harris is showing early-round potential. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/752f538c-6889-4f47-b985-e2ed7a3ec32e (not settled)
- Josh Edwards on Jeremiah Smith: A CBS Sports 2027 NFL mock draft projecting the full first round plus select second-round picks, headlined by Arch Manning going No. 1 overall to Miami and five quarterbacks in Round 1. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/58126cd0-e22d-4c12-8c23-f9a979de6d7d (not settled)

## More mock draft picks

The same kind of call, about other players and teams.

- Ryan Wilson on J.J. McCarthy: Recalling 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. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/44cc5859-8b2b-4fbf-b5c0-62c635f2e357 (scored 36.92)
- Lance Zierlein on Jeremiyah Love: Zierlein laid out his final mock draft: Jeremiah Love at No. 3 to Arizona, Sonny Styles at No. 4 to Robert Saleh's team, and Caleb Downs to the Giants at No. 5. He also called Styles the only first-round linebacker in the class and said Ty Simpson is a lock to be a first-round pick, most likely to Arizona. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/cf600df8-87eb-492b-9d91-f7a2b39104ac (scored 100)
- Nick Shook on Max Iheanachor: Shook 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. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/7d4209aa-2e2d-47a2-b6e5-791d16d209cb (scored 87.81)
- Gregg Rosenthal on K.C. Concepcion: Rosenthal disagrees most with Casey Concepcion being left out of the first round, arguing he could go as high as the top 15 and certainly won't last past receiver-needy teams in the late twenties. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/8fae9a3a-7fd8-454c-99cc-0a8400c35d7d (scored 67.71)
- Daniel Jeremiah on Keyron Crawford: In discussing teams without first-round picks, Jeremiah projected specific Day 2 picks: Clemson WR Antonio Williams to the Falcons at 48, Texas Tech LB Jacob Rodriguez to the Colts in the second round, Oklahoma edge R Mason Thomas to the Packers at 52, and Auburn edge Keiroon Crawford to the Broncos at 62. He also expects Riley Leonard to open as the Colts' starting QB and Travis Hunter to play cornerback full time in Jacksonville. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/f60c916c-1b5f-4252-8733-1770c7809577 (scored 80.52)
- Daniel Jeremiah on Carnell Tate: Jeremiah says Denver, not Kansas City, will be the clear favorite in the AFC West this season; he also puts Carnell Tate sixth and Monroe Freeling twentieth on his prospect board, mocks Tate to Cleveland at No. 6, and expects Georgia receiver Branch to be a Day 2 pick after a strong pro day. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/48a1d189-dc0f-4250-aa3b-0e27119c733a (scored 91.7)

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