Rich Eisen · Feb 27, 2026

Eisen argues Ohio State will produce multiple top-10 picks — Sonny Styles, Arvell Reese and Caleb Downs — becoming the first school with three defensive players in the top 10, and that Styles will not be available at No. 12 to the Cowboys. He also thinks Fernando Mendoza is worthy of the No. 1 overall pick and expects the Raiders to draft him, and picks Trey Lance over Anthony Richardson to start a game first, Micah Parsons to fetch a bigger trade return than Maxx Crosby, Kirk Cousins as the released QB most likely to reach the playoffs, and J.J. McCarthy as the Vikings' Week 1 starter.

“How do you look at Sonny Styles and Arvel Rees and tonight Caleb Downs and not think that's three top 10 picks.”

said on air, transcribed by us · The Rich Eisen Show (podcast) · read the original →

9 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.

Position Order Calls Carnell TateFeb 27, 2026
Carnell Tate to be 1st wide receiver off the board
“And then Tate might be the first wide receiver taken.”
Hit · 100Scored 100a naive guess scored 9.48+90.52 skill
How this was scored
draft:
2026
naive:
naming one of the 36 at random averages 9.48
skill:
90.52
player:
Carnell Tate
season:
2025
zero at:
credit halves every two places
accuracy:
100
baseline:
9.48
position:
wide receiver
class size:
36
difficulty:
1
weeks in the season:
18
actual order:
1
predicted order:
1
weeks left when called:
0
Think this is wrong?
Mock Draft Picks Francis Mauigoa Miami DolphinsFeb 27, 2026
Francis Mauigoa to be picked “top 10” (picks 1–10)
“Mau and Noah, Miami is going top 10.”
Hit · 100Scored 100a naive guess scored 50
How this was scored
draft:
2026
naive:
a shuffled mock scores 50
player:
Francis Mauigoa
season:
2025
zero at:
32
accuracy:
100
baseline:
50
actual pick:
10
difficulty:
1
weeks in the season:
18
pick accuracy:
100
predicted pick:
top 10 (picks 1–10)
weeks left when called:
0
mock ordering score:
only one pick — no order to score
Think this is wrong?
Mock Draft Picks Arvell ReeseFeb 27, 2026
Arvell Reese to be picked “top 10 picks” (picks 1–10)
“How do you look at Sonny Styles and Arvel Rees and tonight Caleb Downs and not think that's three top 10 picks.”
Hit · 100Scored 100a naive guess scored 50
How this was scored
draft:
2026
naive:
a shuffled mock scores 50
player:
Arvell Reese
season:
2025
zero at:
32
accuracy:
100
baseline:
50
actual pick:
5
difficulty:
1
weeks in the season:
18
pick accuracy:
100
predicted pick:
top 10 picks (picks 1–10)
weeks left when called:
0
mock ordering score:
only one pick — no order to score
Think this is wrong?
Mock Draft Picks Sonny StylesFeb 27, 2026
Sonny Styles to be picked “top 10 picks” (picks 1–10)
“How do you look at Sonny Styles and Arvel Rees and tonight Caleb Downs and not think that's three top 10 picks.”
Miss · 0Scored 0a naive guess scored 50
How this was scored
draft:
2026
naive:
a shuffled mock scores 50
player:
Sonny Styles
season:
2025
zero at:
undrafted
outcome:
went undrafted in 2026; later signed with WAS
accuracy:
0
baseline:
50
actual pick:
undrafted
difficulty:
1
weeks in the season:
18
pick accuracy:
0
predicted pick:
top 10 picks (picks 1–10)
weeks left when called:
0
mock ordering score:
only one pick — no order to score
Think this is wrong?
Playoff Picks Minnesota VikingsFeb 27, 2026
Minnesota Vikings to make the playoffs
“I'll go Kirk Cousins... Because he might stay somehow, stay in in Atlanta. So you're saying the Vikings are making the playoffs next year.”
Miss · 0Scored 0a naive guess scored 0+0 skill
How this was scored
team:
MIN
skill:
0
season:
2025
accuracy:
0
baseline:
0
naive said:
true
difficulty:
1
weeks in the season:
18
made playoffs:
false
weeks left when called:
0
Think this is wrong?
Mock Draft Picks Caleb DownsFeb 27, 2026
Caleb Downs to be picked “top 10 picks” (picks 1–10)
“How do you look at Sonny Styles and Arvel Rees and tonight Caleb Downs and not think that's three top 10 picks.”
Hit · 96Scored 95.76a naive guess scored 50
How this was scored
draft:
2026
naive:
a shuffled mock scores 50
player:
Caleb Downs
season:
2025
zero at:
32
accuracy:
95.76
baseline:
50
actual pick:
11
difficulty:
1
weeks in the season:
18
pick accuracy:
95.76
predicted pick:
top 10 picks (picks 1–10)
weeks left when called:
0
mock ordering score:
only one pick — no order to score
Think this is wrong?
Depth Chart Calls J.J. McCarthy Minnesota VikingsFeb 27, 2026
J.J. McCarthy to be 1st on the depth chart
“But it's gonna be JJ McCarthy's gig... JJ McCarthy starting week one onward.”
Hit · 100Scored 100a naive guess scored 91.67+8.33 skill
How this was scored
club:
MIN
skill:
8.33
player:
J.J. McCarthy
season:
2025
accuracy:
100
baseline:
91.67
position:
QB
naive slot:
2
actual slot:
1
difficulty:
1
measured by:
passing yards
naive basis:
no prior season — a rookie is assumed to start behind the incumbent
weeks in the season:
18
predicted slot:
1
weeks left when called:
0
Think this is wrong?
Trade and Signing Calls Fernando Mendoza Las Vegas RaidersFeb 27, 2026
Fernando Mendoza to move to Las Vegas Raiders
“And I think any team that drafts him, and I think the Vegas Raiders will know, he's gonna have, like, a following when he goes around the country.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the season it describes has finished.
Think this is wrong?
Mock Draft Picks Mansoor DelaneFeb 27, 2026
Mansoor Delane to be picked “a top top pick”
“But, like and he's awesome. He's such a great dude, and he's gonna be a top top pick.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the season it describes has finished.
Think this is wrong?