# Charlie Campbell: Campbell projects Texas safety Jelani McDonald as having early-round potential in the 2027 NFL Draft, and sees him as a future NFL starting free safety. **Claimed:** Aug 27, 2026 **Pundit:** Charlie Campbell — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/pundits/charlie-campbell **Outlet:** Walter Football — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/outlets/walter-football **How it reached us:** published in writing **Original:** https://walterfootball.com/scoutingreports2027jmcdonald.php 2 checkable claims — 1 depth chart call and 1 mock draft pick — each graded on its own rather than as one all-or-nothing bet. None of them have settled yet — they grade once their results are in. > Entering the 2026 season, McDonald has early-round potential. *(their words, quoted for attribution)* ## The claims - **Jelani McDonald to be 1st on the depth chart** - Kind: Depth Chart Calls · About: Jelani McDonald - Verdict: not settled yet - **Jelani McDonald to be picked “early-round potential”** - Kind: Mock Draft Picks · About: Jelani McDonald - Verdict: not settled yet ## Who this take is about - Jelani McDonald — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/players/jelani-mcdonald ## What others said about the same people - Walt on Jelani McDonald: In his 2027 NFL Mock Draft (picks 17-32 of Round 1), Walt matched sixteen first-round prospects to teams, including David Stone to Denver, D.J. McKinney to the Jets, Jordan Seaton to Baltimore and John Mateer to Cleveland. He also predicted Trey Hendrickson would win 2026 NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/f6671fd3-2543-4d07-8742-c3cf5cad9236 (not settled) - Walt on Jelani McDonald: Walt's 2027 NFL Mock Draft assigns the first 16 picks, starting with Arch Manning to the Cardinals at No. 1 and including quarterbacks Dante Moore at No. 4 and LaNorris Sellers at No. 13. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/fe3d6deb-bee2-46b6-8f4a-45efe7bedf99 (not settled) - Ryan Roberts on Jelani McDonald: Roberts predicts Texas safety Jelani McDonald will be selected within the top 50 picks of the 2027 NFL Draft. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/582ad0c5-1b08-49b9-930b-63e9d4baf1c5 (not settled) - Mike Renner on Jelani McDonald: Renner ranks the top 10 safeties for the 2027 NFL Draft class, grading each with a projected draft range, and predicts the class is strong enough to produce a couple of first-rounders. He also expects LSU's Dashawn Spears to step into a full-time slot role this fall. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/7c4d7ee6-88e4-4e16-96aa-a49b0dbfbada (not settled) ## More depth chart calls The same kind of call, about other players and teams. - Tyler Sullivan on Deshaun Watson: An unsigned CBS Sports preseason review grading all 32 teams, which along the way stakes out a number of depth-chart calls for Week 1 and beyond — including Deshaun Watson opening as Cleveland's starter, Fernando Mendoza taking over as Las Vegas' QB1 by season's end, and Minnesota's Murray-Wentz-McCarthy quarterback order. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/054d7c3e-baca-4414-b3dd-72c4eced2725 (scored 100) - Ryan Wilson on Deshaun Watson: A CBS Sports piece states Deshaun Watson has won Cleveland's starting quarterback job for Week 1 with Shedeur Sanders next in line, while arguing Watson will not play like even an average NFL quarterback and that none of the Browns' current young passers should stop them from drafting a first-round quarterback next April. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/ff870e69-9992-4166-aa81-9b49d6f77f55 (scored 100) - Rafael Zamorano on Deshaun Watson: Zamorano argues the Browns do not have a franchise quarterback and that it's unlikely Watson or Sanders is their long-term answer. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/80cb396b-8dbf-4e39-bd65-6d25df403db1 (scored 100) - John Breech on Deshaun Watson: The unsigned newsletter author says Deshaun Watson will start Week 1 at Jacksonville, notes he voted for Jaxson Dart as his breakout QB rather than Caleb Williams, and says newly signed Daniel Carlson is the favorite to win the Saints' kicking job. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/1e520b2b-bf4e-4a82-9743-7cb7bc3ee125 (scored 100) - Mark Chichester on Deshaun Watson: Unsigned PFF piece reporting/asserting that Deshaun Watson will be Cleveland's Week 1 starting quarterback against Jacksonville, with Shedeur Sanders behind him on the depth chart. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/ef347873-c28b-4a47-bb04-2488937cd3cf (scored 100) - Zachary Pereles on Deshaun Watson: The unsigned recap argues Sanders clearly outplayed Watson and, even if Sanders isn't named the Week 1 starter, predicts both quarterbacks will see significant playing time in 2026. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/1b6d3216-38ff-4922-9e0a-807497573121 (scored 100) --- 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=charlie-campbell