John Middlekauff · Mar 2, 2026
After the NFL Combine, Middlekauff predicted Fernando Mendoza goes No. 1 overall, that Notre Dame running back Jeremiah Love won't fall out of the top 10 (as high as No. 4 to the Giants, no further than the Saints at No. 8), plus top-10/top-20 landing spots for Caleb Downs, Carnell Tate and Oregon's tight end. He also forecast quarterback movement: Tua and Kyler Murray being cut, Kyler as a backup, someone trading for Tyson Bagent, and the Saints becoming a sleeper playoff team if they land Love.
“He's not sniffing falling out of the top ten.”
said on air or in an interview · The Herd with Colin Cowherd (podcast) · read the original →
10 checkable claims from this
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.
- Mock Draft PicksCaleb DownsMar 2, 2026
“Caleb Downs I didn't even think did that much at the combine. Don't blame him, He's a lock top ten pick”
Scored 95.76a naive guess scored 50How this was scored
- draft:
- 2026
- naive:
- a shuffled mock scores 50
- player:
- Caleb Downs
- season:
- 2026
- zero at:
- 32
- accuracy:
- 95.76
- baseline:
- 50
- actual pick:
- 11
- difficulty:
- 1
- weeks in the season:
- 18
- pick accuracy:
- 95.76
- predicted pick:
- lock top ten pick (picks 1–10)
- weeks left when called:
- 0
- mock ordering score:
- only one pick — no order to score
- Mock Draft PicksCarnell TateMar 2, 2026
“And Carnel Tate same thing. He's gonna go in the top twenty.”
Scored 100a naive guess scored 50How this was scored
- draft:
- 2026
- naive:
- a shuffled mock scores 50
- player:
- Carnell Tate
- season:
- 2026
- zero at:
- 32
- accuracy:
- 100
- baseline:
- 50
- actual pick:
- 4
- difficulty:
- 1
- weeks in the season:
- 18
- pick accuracy:
- 100
- predicted pick:
- top twenty (picks 1–20)
- weeks left when called:
- 0
- mock ordering score:
- only one pick — no order to score
- Mock Draft PicksFernando MendozaMar 2, 2026
“The only thing we know for certain is for Mendoza is going number one.”
Scored 100a naive guess scored 50How this was scored
- draft:
- 2026
- naive:
- a shuffled mock scores 50
- player:
- Fernando Mendoza
- season:
- 2026
- zero at:
- 32
- accuracy:
- 100
- baseline:
- 50
- actual pick:
- 1
- difficulty:
- 1
- weeks in the season:
- 18
- pick accuracy:
- 100
- predicted pick:
- 1
- weeks left when called:
- 0
- mock ordering score:
- only one pick — no order to score
- Mock Draft PicksJeremiyah LoveMar 2, 2026
“So I think the I think Jeremiah lovkick goes high as four with the Titans, I mean the Giants... I think the farthest key word of quote unquote fall would be the Saints at eight... he's not sniffing falling out of the of the top ten.”
Scored 100a naive guess scored 50How this was scored
- draft:
- 2026
- naive:
- a shuffled mock scores 50
- player:
- Jeremiyah Love
- season:
- 2026
- zero at:
- 32
- accuracy:
- 100
- baseline:
- 50
- actual pick:
- 3
- difficulty:
- 1
- weeks in the season:
- 18
- pick accuracy:
- 100
- predicted pick:
- not sniffing falling out of the top ten; goes as high as four with the Giants, farthest fall would be the Saints at eight (picks 1–10)
- weeks left when called:
- 0
- mock ordering score:
- only one pick — no order to score
- Mock Draft PicksKenyon SadiqMar 2, 2026
“Sadik. I mean that's I don't know if he's gonna go top five, but he's going in the top ten.”
Scored 77.11a naive guess scored 50How this was scored
- draft:
- 2026
- naive:
- a shuffled mock scores 50
- player:
- Kenyon Sadiq
- season:
- 2026
- zero at:
- 32
- accuracy:
- 77.11
- baseline:
- 50
- actual pick:
- 16
- difficulty:
- 1
- weeks in the season:
- 18
- pick accuracy:
- 77.11
- predicted pick:
- top ten (picks 1–10)
- weeks left when called:
- 0
- mock ordering score:
- only one pick — no order to score
- Depth Chart CallsKyler MurrayMar 2, 2026
“Now Kyler's going to get a spot, but my guess would be he's got to be a backup somewhere”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the season it describes has finished.
- Trade and Signing CallsKyler MurrayMar 2, 2026
“Kyler Murray, he's gonna be cut as well.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the season it describes has finished.
- Trade and Signing CallsTua TagovailoaMar 2, 2026
“All signs point to a tongue by low A getting cut and if they wanted to take the entire hit right now'd be it close to one hundred million dollars.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the season it describes has finished.
- Trade and Signing CallsTyson BagentMar 2, 2026
“I think someone is going to trade for Tyson. He's under a cheap contract. Even if you got to give a fourth round pick”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the season it describes has finished.
- Surprise Team CallsNew Orleans SaintsMar 2, 2026
“If they get Jeremiah Love in the in the draft, they would be a sleeper playoff team next year the New Orleans Saints.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the season it describes has finished.