# LaQuan Jones: Jones says drafting George Kittle as a top-five tight end coming off an Achilles tear would be a mistake, preferring healthier options like Oronde Gadsden and Sam LaPorta who are going later, and he ranks Chris Olave as a top-six fantasy receiver. He is also out on Patrick Mahomes and thinks Najee Harris would be fantasy-irrelevant in Seattle. On the draft he expects Carnell Tate to be the first receiver taken and Sadiq to slide toward pick 30. **Claimed:** Apr 1, 2026 **Pundit:** LaQuan Jones — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/pundits/laquan-jones **Outlet:** The Rich Eisen Podcast (podcast) — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/outlets/the-rich-eisen-podcast-podcast **How it reached us:** said on air or in an interview **Original:** https://omny.fm/shows/nfl-fantasy-football-podcast/breaking-down-charles-davis-mock-draft-3-0 8 checkable claims — 2 mock draft picks, 2 position order calls, 2 sleeper calls, 1 fantasy bust call and 1 positional finishe — each graded on its own rather than as one all-or-nothing bet. It names 10 players and teams, each linked to their own record. 3 of 8 have settled so far, averaging 100 out of 100, against 26.1 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. > George Kittle going off the board as a top five. That's a huge mistake. *(their words, quoted for attribution)* ## The claims - **Omar Cooper to be picked “first round draft pick, like in the late twenties, maybe even in that twenty twenty five spot” (picks 1–32)** - Kind: Mock Draft Picks · About: Omar Cooper - Verdict: scored 100 out of 100, against 50 for a naive guess - **Carnell Tate to be 1st wide receiver off the board** - Kind: Position Order Calls · About: Carnell Tate - Verdict: scored 100 out of 100, against 9.48 for a naive guess - **Eli Stowers to be 2nd tight end off the board** - Kind: Position Order Calls · About: Eli Stowers - Verdict: scored 100 out of 100, against 18.72 for a naive guess - **Sam LaPorta to outplay his draft cost (going outside that top five)** - Kind: Sleeper Calls · About: Sam LaPorta - Verdict: not settled yet - **Chris Olave to finish top 6 at his position, by fantasy points** - Kind: Positional Finishes · About: Chris Olave, New Orleans Saints - Verdict: not settled yet - **Kenyon Sadiq to be picked “possibly get him at thirty”** - Kind: Mock Draft Picks · About: Kenyon Sadiq - Verdict: not settled yet - **Oronde Gadsden II to outplay his draft cost (going outside that top five)** - Kind: Sleeper Calls · About: Oronde Gadsden II - Verdict: not settled yet - **George Kittle to fall short of his draft cost (top five tight end)** - Kind: Fantasy Bust Calls · About: George Kittle, San Francisco 49ers - Verdict: not settled yet ## Who this take is about - Omar Cooper — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/players/omar-cooper - Carnell Tate — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/players/carnell-tate - Eli Stowers — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/players/eli-stowers - Sam LaPorta — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/players/sam-laporta - Chris Olave — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/players/chris-olave - New Orleans Saints — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/teams/saints - Kenyon Sadiq — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/players/kenyon-sadiq - Oronde Gadsden II — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/players/oronde-gadsden-ii - George Kittle — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/players/george-kittle - San Francisco 49ers — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/teams/49ers ## What others said about the same people - Brian Peacock on Sebastian Valdez: Peacock lays out his projected 53-man roster for the 49ers, position by position: three specialists, three quarterbacks (including Curtis Rourke), five running backs, six receivers (cutting Christian Kirk), three tight ends (cutting Braden Willis), nine offensive linemen, ten defensive linemen (with Mykel Williams on PUP), five linebackers, six cornerbacks and four safeties. He also predicts a new player will take center snaps in preseason week three. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/62e9aad7-105c-45a0-95b3-3b43b64603ae (scored 0) - Tom Jensen on Sebastian Valdez: Jensen projects the 49ers' final 53-man roster ahead of the August 30 cutdown, naming a long list of players he expects to be released outright, another group he expects to be cut and return on the practice squad ("boomerang cuts"), and three borderline players (Jordan James, Jacob Cowing, James Thompson Jr.) he believes San Francisco will keep. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/30bfad12-5ff9-49d2-8849-9df9b47a054d (scored 0) - Ross Jackson on Juwan Johnson: Ross Jackson gives his final preseason 53-man roster projection for the New Orleans Saints, naming who makes the initial roster at every position group, who starts on injured reserve or the practice squad, and who the five starting offensive linemen and kicker will be. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/b43691e9-1673-4236-ba12-7d60ad3b95f5 (scored 100) - Doug Joubert on Will Sherman: Joubert projects the Saints' 53-man roster ahead of the cutdown deadline, naming every player he expects to make the team by position group, plus several players he expects to receive PUP/IR designations, and predicting Torricelli Simpkins will later be moved to the practice squad. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/80c9bcdf-68ec-49a5-a1d1-e59f4bee2653 (scored 100) - Parker Hurley on Jaden Dugger: Reviewing 49ers rookies after the first preseason game, Hurley says linebacker Jaden Dugger has secured a spot on the roster after starting at MIKE. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/633eccb2-2e55-4252-832c-74f8ad98cbdb (scored 100) - Grant Chachere on Barion Brown: Reviewing the Saints' unofficial depth chart, Chachere says Devaughn Vele is the No. 3 receiver, Barion Brown will be the fourth receiver and a lock to make the 53-man roster, and Travis Etienne will out-carry Alvin Kamara as the lead back. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/a21e4240-e93f-4f19-86ee-7190e37e3cfa (scored 100) ## More position order calls The same kind of call, about other players and teams. - Nick Shook on Olaivavega Ioane: 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 35.36) - Rhett Lewis on Tyler Shough: Lewis names Louisville's Tyler Shough as the new QB3 of the class — the third quarterback off the board — and views Milroe as a second-round selection. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/d116ab63-5271-4b18-838b-29bb93d58530 (scored 100) - Nick Wright on Mansoor Delane: Nick Wright laid out his full mock draft 3.0 for the 2026 NFL Draft, pick by pick through the first round, and also predicted AJ Brown would finish top five in the NFL in receiving yards with the Patriots. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/77faa345-d736-4a90-8185-b1b92c789e5a (scored 100) - Todd McShay on K.C. Concepcion: McShay's mock draft 4.0 has Fernando Mendoza and David Bailey going 1-2 to the Raiders and Jets, the Saints trading up to No. 3 for Arvell Reese, the Titans taking Jeremiah Love at 4, the Giants taking Francis Mauigoa at 5 (though he'd now switch to Sonny Styles), the Cowboys trading up to 6, the Jets trading up to 7 for Carnell Tate, and Arizona trading up to 30 for Ty Simpson. He also predicts seven offensive tackles go in the first round and that Love, Styles, Downs and Reese all go in the top seven. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/cd11036a-b55c-47a9-92e8-5b088260ca47 (scored 100) - Keith Sanchez on Jordyn Tyson: As relayed by Harrison, Sanchez's latest mock draft has Carnell Tate going to Washington, Jordan Tyson as the first receiver off the board at No. 5 to the Giants, Makai Lemmon at 11 and Chris Brasel at 30 to Miami, Sonny Styles at No. 8 to New Orleans, and Caleb Downs at No. 13 to the Rams. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/226ec0b5-6535-45ba-8b77-609e3e51ca6e (scored 70.71) - Field Yates on Jordyn Tyson: As relayed by Rich Eisen, Yates' two-round mock draft has Fernando Mendoza first overall, followed by three edge/defenders, Caleb Downs fifth, and a series of other named picks including Eli Stowers to Tampa Bay at 46. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/7eaa4c0b-96d6-4cb2-bb55-3307b797fb9b (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=laquan-jones