# Ross Jackson: In the Locked On NFL mock draft, Jackson had the Saints stay at No. 8 and select Miami edge rusher Reuben Bain Jr., saying he'd still make the pick today. He also asserted the Raiders take Fernando Mendoza first overall and that Texas A&M's Cassius Howell is likely to be a first-round pick.

**Claimed:** Apr 16, 2026
**Pundit:** Ross Jackson — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/pundits/ross-jackson
**Outlet:** Locked On Saints (podcast) — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/outlets/locked-on-saints-podcast
**How it reached us:** said on air, transcribed by us
**Original:** https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/pdrl.fm/83ac39/lockedon.simplecastaudio.com/26a658f6-15f1-4878-ab5f-d78d7d886aa9/episodes/32aae2e6-7ddb-49af-8004-a0e6a9f988f7/audio/128/default.mp3?aid=rss_feed&awCollectionId=26a658f6-15f1-4878-ab5f-d78d7d886aa9&awEpisodeId=32aae2e6-7ddb-49af-8004-a0e6a9f988f7&feed=aKgoC4uX

3 checkable claims — 3 mock draft picks — each graded on its own rather than as one all-or-nothing bet.

It names 5 players and teams, each linked to their own record.

All 3 have settled, averaging 80.5 out of 100, against 50 for a naive guess at the same calls.

> I went for Miami edge rusher, Ruben Bane junior in our locked on NFL mock draft.

*(their words, quoted for attribution)*

## The claims

- **Fernando Mendoza to be picked at number 1**
  - Kind: Mock Draft Picks · About: Fernando Mendoza, Las Vegas Raiders
  - Verdict: scored 100 out of 100, against 50 for a naive guess
- **Cashius Howell to be picked “the first round” (picks 1–32)**
  - Kind: Mock Draft Picks · About: Cashius Howell
  - Verdict: scored 67.71 out of 100, against 50 for a naive guess
- **Rueben Bain to be picked at number 8**
  - Kind: Mock Draft Picks · About: Rueben Bain, New Orleans Saints
  - Verdict: scored 73.84 out of 100, against 50 for a naive guess

## Who this take is about

- Fernando Mendoza — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/players/fernando-mendoza
- Las Vegas Raiders — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/teams/raiders
- Cashius Howell — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/players/cashius-howell
- Rueben Bain — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/players/rueben-bain
- New Orleans Saints — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/teams/saints

## What others said about the same people

- Nick Wright on New Orleans Saints: On his Week 3 pick show, Nick Wright gave straight-up final-score predictions for five games, calling blowouts by Seattle over Washington and Kansas City over Miami, a Jacksonville home win over New England, a narrow New Orleans win over the Raiders and a low-scoring Baltimore win over Dallas in Brazil. He also called Seattle the best team in the NFL with the league's best defense. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/afa6070a-4229-4b28-a922-31d609ad1adf (scored 33.33)
- Chris Broussard on Las Vegas Raiders: Broussard picked the Bills to beat the Chargers in a competitive, higher-scoring game, said the Chiefs will rout the Dolphins, and for upset alert parlayed the Patriots over the Jaguars and the Raiders over the Saints. He also restated his Cowboys-versus-Ravens Super Bowl matchup pick. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/dee7585c-6da6-4afc-9954-ff32cf8de4e3 (scored 100)
- Dan Beyer on New Orleans Saints: For his Week 3 survivor pick, he took the Saints to beat the Raiders at home, saying he doesn't see Las Vegas staying unbeaten. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/fdedf503-5121-4109-b003-d5c980b00456 (scored 0)
- Darrion Gray on New Orleans Saints: Predicted the Saints beat the Raiders 27-17 at home. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/778eb604-cf02-49f1-8468-fbc8b0798375 (scored 45.24)
- John Hendricks on New Orleans Saints: Predicted a lower-scoring Saints win over the Raiders, 24-19, with the defense carrying them. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/5d6f55b1-d993-4659-a8b9-d95c6942875e (scored 42.86)
- Lance Moore on New Orleans Saints: Called for a Saints victory over the Raiders by a score of 27-20. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/92c9e860-f1af-4e13-a82c-80d31fa7be6e (scored 47.62)

## 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

We summarize what a pundit said and quote a short span for attribution; we never republish their article. If this is wrong, tell us:
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