# Rob Rang: Rang's mock, built around each team's biggest need, has the Bills taking Texas Tech linebacker Jacob Rodriguez at No. 26.

**Claimed:** Apr 14, 2026
**Pundit:** Rob Rang — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/pundits/rob-rang
**Outlet:** Locked On Bills (podcast) — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/outlets/locked-on-bills-podcast
**How it reached us:** said on air, transcribed by us
**Original:** https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/pdrl.fm/8c06ff/lockedon.simplecastaudio.com/d5c86183-3556-42ef-a0fc-3e82326ec162/episodes/bc106522-6eda-4254-b4fc-80e9bdf12186/audio/128/default.mp3?aid=rss_feed&awCollectionId=d5c86183-3556-42ef-a0fc-3e82326ec162&awEpisodeId=bc106522-6eda-4254-b4fc-80e9bdf12186&feed=LIaoLB9Y

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

It names 2 players and teams, each linked to their own record.

The call scored 47.9 out of 100, against 50 for a naive guess at the same calls.

> It would be a surprise to see Rodriguez go in the first round, but his instincts and playmaking ability would add an immediate jolt to the Bills' defense.

*(their words, quoted for attribution)*

## The claims

- **Jacob Rodriguez to be picked at number 26**
  - Kind: Mock Draft Picks · About: Jacob Rodriguez, Buffalo Bills
  - Verdict: scored 47.88 out of 100, against 50 for a naive guess

## Who this take is about

- Jacob Rodriguez — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/players/jacob-rodriguez
- Buffalo Bills — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/teams/bills

## What others said about the same people

- Randy Gurzi on Te'Cory Couch: Gurzi predicts the Buffalo Bills' final 53-man roster ahead of Week 1 against Houston, naming every player who makes it, who gets cut, and a few depth-chart outcomes (Damar Hamlin as backup safety, Alec Anderson as a new starter on the offensive line, Shane Buechele back on the practice squad). — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/95db61d4-3514-4d17-aa02-ed56a31ecabf (scored 0)
- Joe Marino on Te'Cory Couch: Joe Marino gives his final projection of the Buffalo Bills' initial 53-man roster after the preseason finale, naming who makes it, who gets cut, and who lands on injured reserve/PUP, along with several starting-job calls (Kyle Allen as QB2, TJ Sanders starting over Landon Jackson, Maxwell Hairston starting opposite Christian Benford, and Tommy Doman winning the punting job). — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/65f0752f-5147-4476-be34-4909b3c44bc8 (scored 0)
- Tom Jensen on Dawson Knox: NFL.com published a list of players it expects to be released by cutdown day, headlined by tight ends Dawson Knox, T.J. Hockenson and Cole Kmet. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/7ab5ced6-8d1e-4d59-a06b-9dc7d8125a83 (scored 0)
- Joe Marino on Michael Hoecht: Marino gives his first 2026 Buffalo Bills 53-man roster projection, naming which players make the roster at each position, who gets cut, and who wins the starting jobs along the offensive line and at punter. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/c31330e8-0a8f-462a-af99-3e74b1b0acad (scored 100)
- Ralph Ventre on Greg Dortch: Ventre expects the Bills to elevate Greg Dortch from the practice squad to handle punt return duties for the season opener at Houston. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/4601fedf-7b96-4776-ac37-a0b12d43da83 (scored 0)
- Ralph Ventre on Joe Andreessen: Ventre reads the Bills' preseason finale as revealing the Week 1 roster: Alec Anderson wins the starting left guard job, Dorian Williams starts at inside linebacker next to Terrel Bernard, Maxwell Hairston starts at cornerback opposite Christian Benford, and Joe Andreessen, Sam Franklin, Trent Sherfield and undrafted Kani Walker make the 53. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/70079e7f-89bd-46fe-a55a-665416f339fc (scored 100)

## More mock draft picks

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

- 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.thegoodapps.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.thegoodapps.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.thegoodapps.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.thegoodapps.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.thegoodapps.co/opinions/48a1d189-dc0f-4250-aa3b-0e27119c733a (scored 91.7)
- Bucky Brooks on Carnell Tate: In a mock draft covering the first 14 picks, Brooks made the odd-numbered selections: Fernando Mendoza to the Raiders at No. 1, a Miami offensive lineman to Arizona at No. 3, Caleb Downs to the Giants at No. 5, Ohio State's Arvell Reese to Washington at No. 7, Carnell Tate to Kansas City at No. 9, tight end Kenyon Sadiq to Miami at No. 11, and Spencer Fano to the Rams at No. 13. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/677f566f-9e38-4dd7-b312-0baad54b440e (scored 80.52)

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Accuracy is 0-100 against what actually happened. The naive guess is what a strategy requiring no knowledge would have scored on the same call — the difference is the skill, and it is what the MissedTakes Score averages.

Full method: https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/methodology

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