# Jeff Cavanaugh: Broadcasting from the NFL Scouting Combine, Jeff calls Ohio State linebacker Sonny Styles a guaranteed top-12 pick with a good chance of going top seven, expects him to run around a 4.5 forty, pegs Arvell Reese as the favorite to go No. 2 overall behind Fernando Mendoza at No. 1, and says Clemson defensive tackle Peter Woods will be a first-round pick. **Claimed:** Feb 25, 2026 **Pundit:** Jeff Cavanaugh — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/pundits/jeff-cavanaugh **Outlet:** DLLS Dallas Cowboys (podcast) — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/outlets/dlls-dallas-cowboys-podcast **How it reached us:** said on air, transcribed by us **Original:** https://tracking.swap.fm/track/xt6bq09fJCm8CxP7DUGF/dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/pscrb.fm/rss/p/mgln.ai/e/822/claritaspod.com/measure/prfx.byspotify.com/e/injector.simplecastaudio.com/d5ae5375-e417-4df4-8c3d-3d7ba352b111/episodes/b425d6eb-6c2b-42b0-9191-5fbe9470b154/audio/128/default.mp3?aid=rss_feed&awCollectionId=d5ae5375-e417-4df4-8c3d-3d7ba352b111&awEpisodeId=b425d6eb-6c2b-42b0-9191-5fbe9470b154&feed=4Fqey2NA 6 checkable claims — 5 mock draft picks and 1 combine measurement — each graded on its own rather than as one all-or-nothing bet. It names 4 players and teams, each linked to their own record. 5 of 6 have settled so far, averaging 97.6 out of 100, against 50 for a naive guess at the same calls. Of the 1 unsettled call enough other pundits have weighed in on, this one lands above the rest of the room. > I think Arbel Reese is probably the favorite to be the number two overall pick behind Fernando Mendoza. *(their words, quoted for attribution)* ## The claims - **Sonny Styles to be picked “guaranteed top 12 pick” (picks 1–12)** - Kind: Mock Draft Picks · About: Sonny Styles - Verdict: scored 100 out of 100, against 50 for a naive guess - **Sonny Styles to be picked “a top seven or so pick” (picks 1–7)** - Kind: Mock Draft Picks · About: Sonny Styles - Verdict: scored 100 out of 100, against 50 for a naive guess - **Peter Woods to be picked “first round pick” (picks 1–32)** - Kind: Mock Draft Picks · About: Peter Woods - Verdict: scored 100 out of 100, against 50 for a naive guess - **Fernando Mendoza to be picked at number 1** - Kind: Mock Draft Picks · About: Fernando Mendoza - Verdict: scored 100 out of 100, against 50 for a naive guess - **Arvell Reese to be picked at number 2** - Kind: Mock Draft Picks · About: Arvell Reese - Verdict: scored 87.81 out of 100, against 50 for a naive guess - **He's a cyborg, six foot four, two hundred and forty pounds. He's gonna go run a four five or whatever.** - Kind: Combine Measurements · About: Sonny Styles - Verdict: not settled yet ## Who this take is about - Sonny Styles — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/players/sonny-styles - Peter Woods — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/players/peter-woods - Fernando Mendoza — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/players/fernando-mendoza - Arvell Reese — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/players/arvell-reese ## What others said about the same people - Shannon Sharpe on Fernando Mendoza: Sharpe expects Myles Garrett, now with the Rams, to remain dominant and post at least 14-15 sacks, and he also thinks Micah Parsons will again reach double-digit sacks. He predicts the Dolphins win only two games this season, and says Jeremiah Smith won't go ahead of Mendoza at the top of the draft. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/471fb1a1-3faf-4a75-bf81-ff8ebf57c88d (scored 100) - Philip Hughes on Sonny Styles: Hughes projects Washington's initial 53-man roster ahead of the final preseason game, naming every player he expects to make the team by position group, and slots Athan Kaliakmanis as the No. 3 quarterback behind Jayden Daniels and Marcus Mariota. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/4ec7adba-dd12-4caf-9bb1-f1a343cee65a (scored 100) - nthony Darelle "Booger" McFarland on Arvell Reese: McFarland projected Ohio State's Arbel Reese to measure in at roughly 6-4 and 240-245 pounds at the combine, and argued Cincinnati and Trey Hendrickson will go their separate ways this offseason. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/c01c6b3d-b24f-4074-b082-e5b10055c15f (scored 100) - Colin Cowherd on Fernando Mendoza: Cowherd is high on Fernando Mendoza, calling him a first-round prospect who fits none of the bust profiles, and expects Kirk Cousins to open the season as the starter. Among his five bold predictions he has Justin Herbert winning multiple playoff games and Caleb Williams winning MVP. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/ec4160af-aa50-41ea-ba24-909ed8406a2a (scored 100) - Jaime Eisner on Fernando Mendoza: An unsigned seven-round Raiders mock draft projecting Fernando Mendoza first overall to Las Vegas and nine additional picks, including Denzel Boston in Round 2 and A.J. Haulcy in Round 3. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/bbfe3a86-3855-40a0-853b-b94372c10622 (scored 100) - Jaime Eisner on Arvell Reese: An unbylined seven-round Jets mock draft for the 2026 NFL Draft, assigning specific prospects to each of New York's nine picks, and calling Brandon Cisse a likely top-50 selection. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/bf47b272-a062-4e0e-9949-dbb8cac1e5ce (scored 87.81) ## More mock draft picks The same kind of call, about other players and teams. - 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.thegoodapps.co/opinions/cd619cef-1878-4067-9021-a5ec734d35ed (scored 0) - Gregg Rosenthal on Brandon Doughty: Rosenthal gave first reactions to Vegas win totals: overs on the Steelers, Broncos, Vikings, Buccaneers, 49ers and Cardinals, unders on the Falcons and Commanders, plus he expects Shedeur Sanders to start about 10-11 games and thinks the Cowboys' 9.5 is beatable. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/16ab5f5d-0f01-48ee-a1df-63c1b1996dc3 (scored 2.63) - Peter Bukowski on Gennings Dunker: Bukowski breaks down Iowa offensive lineman Jennings Dunker as a Packers fit and puts a late second-/early third-round grade on him, noting that range overlaps where Green Bay picks. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/f77d920f-e5fe-4684-83b6-9105b6304d5b (scored 100) - David Harrison on Eli Heidenreich: Harrison delivers his only first-round mock draft for the 2026 NFL Draft, projecting all 32 first-round picks (including several trades) plus the rest of Washington's projected class, while noting it is an exercise in what could happen rather than a firm forecast. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/5cc44fc1-4ff9-447a-9c32-5f715fa6e9ba (scored 100) - Brian Peacock on Bud Clark: In his final 2026 mock draft for the 49ers, Peacock projects San Francisco taking WR Kevin Concepcion (KC) at pick 27, then after trading out of round two, edge rusher Kieron Crawford and safety Bud Clark in round three, OL Trey Zune and RB Jonah Coleman in round four, CB Charles Demings in round five and guard Caden Barnett in round six. He also thinks Omar Cooper comes off the board before Concepcion. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/cc1842ef-bbb3-49c0-ad24-ec5db753c59b (scored 95.76) - David Harrison on Riley Nowakowski: In his final mock draft Monday, Harrison has the Commanders trading back twice and selecting eight players: safety Dylan Thieneman at 16, WR Denzel Boston at 33, RB Mike Washington Jr. at 83, C Jagger Burton at 132, CB Julian Neal at 147, QB Cade Klubnik at 187, DB Lorenzo Styles Jr. at 209 and TE Riley Nowakowski in the seventh round. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/e0151883-b7ac-4b3a-ae45-1cc58b32adb8 (scored 12.5) --- 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 We summarize what a pundit said and quote a short span for attribution; we never republish their article. If this is wrong, tell us: https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/corrections?pundit=jeff-cavanaugh