Ross Jackson · Mar 2, 2026
In a post-combine seven-round Saints mock draft, Ross Jackson has New Orleans taking Notre Dame RB Jeremiah Love at No. 8, Louisville WR Chris Bell at 42, UCF edge Malachi Lawrence at 73, then Jalen Kilgore and Jalen Farmer in the fourth, Bryce Boecher and Bryce Lance in the fifth, and Lorenzo Styles Jr. in the sixth. He also projects Fernando Mendoza at No. 1 overall, Texas Tech edge David Bailey inside the top 10 and Morgan Freleng as a possible top-10 offensive lineman.
“If Jeremiah Love is there, he should be the absolute pick.”
said on air, transcribed by us · Locked On Saints (podcast) · read the original →
11 checkable claims from this
Each one is scored on its own against the published methodology. A pundit naming several outcomes is graded on each, not on all-or-nothing.
Bryce Boettcher to be picked “fifth round” (picks 129–172)
“Round five, I went with Oregon... Oregon linebacker, Bryce Bochum.”
Hit · 100Scored 100 on this pickthis mock ordered the draft 95 against a shuffle’s 50+45 skillHow this was scored
- draft:
- 2026
- naive:
- a shuffled mock scores 50
- skill:
- 45
- player:
- Bryce Boettcher
- season:
- 2026
- zero at:
- 32
- accuracy:
- 100
- baseline:
- 50
- actual pick:
- 135
- difficulty:
- 1
- weeks in the season:
- 18
- pick accuracy:
- 100
- predicted pick:
- fifth round (picks 129–172)
- weeks left when called:
- 0
- mock ordering score:
- 95
Jalon Kilgore to be picked “early on in the fourth round” (picks 97–140)
“you knew I had to get one more impact player in here early on in the fourth round... South Carolina cornerback, Jalen Kilgore”
Miss · 31Scored 31.05 on this pickthis mock ordered the draft 95 against a shuffle’s 50+45 skillHow this was scored
- draft:
- 2026
- naive:
- a shuffled mock scores 50
- skill:
- 45
- player:
- Jalon Kilgore
- season:
- 2026
- zero at:
- 32
- accuracy:
- 31.05
- baseline:
- 50
- actual pick:
- 167
- difficulty:
- 1
- weeks in the season:
- 18
- pick accuracy:
- 31.05
- predicted pick:
- early on in the fourth round (picks 97–140)
- weeks left when called:
- 0
- mock ordering score:
- 95
- Mock Draft PicksMonroe FreelingMar 2, 2026
Monroe Freeling to be picked “a potential top 10 pick” (picks 1–10)
“a Morgan Freleng who has been, you know, taking over all of the draft conversation right now as a potential top 10 pick”
Close · 68Scored 67.71 on this pickthis mock ordered the draft 95 against a shuffle’s 50+45 skillHow this was scored
- draft:
- 2026
- naive:
- a shuffled mock scores 50
- skill:
- 45
- player:
- Monroe Freeling
- season:
- 2026
- zero at:
- 32
- accuracy:
- 67.71
- baseline:
- 50
- actual pick:
- 19
- difficulty:
- 1
- weeks in the season:
- 18
- pick accuracy:
- 67.71
- predicted pick:
- a potential top 10 pick (picks 1–10)
- weeks left when called:
- 0
- mock ordering score:
- 95
- Mock Draft PicksChris BellNew Orleans SaintsMar 2, 2026
Chris Bell to be picked at number 42
“Chris Bell, the wide receiver out of Louisville, who we're taking in our mock draft today at round two, pick 42”
Miss · 11Scored 10.51 on this pickthis mock ordered the draft 95 against a shuffle’s 50+45 skillHow this was scored
- draft:
- 2026
- naive:
- a shuffled mock scores 50
- skill:
- 45
- player:
- Chris Bell
- season:
- 2026
- zero at:
- 32
- accuracy:
- 10.51
- baseline:
- 50
- actual pick:
- 94
- difficulty:
- 1
- weeks in the season:
- 18
- pick accuracy:
- 10.51
- predicted pick:
- 42
- weeks left when called:
- 0
- mock ordering score:
- 95
Malachi Lawrence to be picked at number 73
“Let's go to round three. Pick 73... is UCF edge rusher Malachi Lawrence.”
Miss · 11Scored 11.46 on this pickthis mock ordered the draft 95 against a shuffle’s 50+45 skillHow this was scored
- draft:
- 2026
- naive:
- a shuffled mock scores 50
- skill:
- 45
- player:
- Malachi Lawrence
- season:
- 2026
- zero at:
- 32
- accuracy:
- 11.46
- baseline:
- 50
- actual pick:
- 23
- difficulty:
- 1
- weeks in the season:
- 18
- pick accuracy:
- 11.46
- predicted pick:
- 73
- weeks left when called:
- 0
- mock ordering score:
- 95
Jeremiyah Love to be picked at number 8
“Round one, pick number eight. I have the New Orleans Saints in our post combine mock draft taking Jeremiah Love, the running back out of Notre Dame.”
Hit · 81Scored 80.52 on this pickthis mock ordered the draft 95 against a shuffle’s 50+45 skillHow this was scored
- draft:
- 2026
- naive:
- a shuffled mock scores 50
- skill:
- 45
- player:
- Jeremiyah Love
- season:
- 2026
- zero at:
- 32
- accuracy:
- 80.52
- baseline:
- 50
- actual pick:
- 3
- difficulty:
- 1
- weeks in the season:
- 18
- pick accuracy:
- 80.52
- predicted pick:
- 8
- weeks left when called:
- 0
- mock ordering score:
- 95
- Mock Draft PicksDavid BaileyMar 2, 2026
David Bailey to be picked “top 10” (picks 1–10)
“just one hundredth of a second slower than, David Bailey, who's gonna go in the top 10 as an edge rusher out of Texas Tech”
Miss · 0Scored 0 on this pickthis mock ordered the draft 95 against a shuffle’s 50+45 skillHow this was scored
- draft:
- 2026
- naive:
- a shuffled mock scores 50
- skill:
- 45
- player:
- David Bailey
- season:
- 2026
- zero at:
- undrafted
- outcome:
- went undrafted in 2026; later signed with NYJ
- accuracy:
- 0
- baseline:
- 50
- actual pick:
- undrafted
- difficulty:
- 1
- weeks in the season:
- 18
- pick accuracy:
- 0
- predicted pick:
- top 10 (picks 1–10)
- weeks left when called:
- 0
- mock ordering score:
- 95
- Mock Draft PicksFernando MendozaMar 2, 2026
Fernando Mendoza to be picked at number 1
“But with Fernando Mendoza going pick one, that's gonna help.”
Hit · 100Scored 100 on this pickthis mock ordered the draft 95 against a shuffle’s 50+45 skillHow this was scored
- draft:
- 2026
- naive:
- a shuffled mock scores 50
- skill:
- 45
- player:
- Fernando Mendoza
- season:
- 2026
- zero at:
- 32
- accuracy:
- 100
- baseline:
- 50
- actual pick:
- 1
- difficulty:
- 1
- weeks in the season:
- 18
- pick accuracy:
- 100
- predicted pick:
- 1
- weeks left when called:
- 0
- mock ordering score:
- 95
Jalen Farmer to be picked “fourth round” (picks 97–140)
“In the fourth round, we doubled up with Jalen Kilgore, the cornerback out of South Carolina, as well as Kentucky offensive lineman, Jalen Farmer.”
Hit · 100Scored 100 on this pickthis mock ordered the draft 95 against a shuffle’s 50+45 skillHow this was scored
- draft:
- 2026
- naive:
- a shuffled mock scores 50
- skill:
- 45
- player:
- Jalen Farmer
- season:
- 2026
- zero at:
- 32
- accuracy:
- 100
- baseline:
- 50
- actual pick:
- 113
- difficulty:
- 1
- weeks in the season:
- 18
- pick accuracy:
- 100
- predicted pick:
- fourth round (picks 97–140)
- weeks left when called:
- 0
- mock ordering score:
- 95
Bryce Lance to be picked at number 170
“at pick one seventy in the fifth round, I went with North Dakota State University wide receiver, Bryce Lance”
Miss · 23Scored 22.93 on this pickthis mock ordered the draft 95 against a shuffle’s 50+45 skillHow this was scored
- draft:
- 2026
- naive:
- a shuffled mock scores 50
- skill:
- 45
- player:
- Bryce Lance
- season:
- 2026
- zero at:
- 32
- accuracy:
- 22.93
- baseline:
- 50
- actual pick:
- 136
- difficulty:
- 1
- weeks in the season:
- 18
- pick accuracy:
- 22.93
- predicted pick:
- 170
- weeks left when called:
- 0
- mock ordering score:
- 95
Lorenzo Styles to be picked “sixth or seventh round” (picks 193–236)
“I think that four two seven, though, is gonna create a situation like this where somebody's gonna take that swing in the sixth or seventh round.”
Close · 40Scored 40.26 on this pickthis mock ordered the draft 95 against a shuffle’s 50+45 skillHow this was scored
- draft:
- 2026
- naive:
- a shuffled mock scores 50
- skill:
- 45
- player:
- Lorenzo Styles
- season:
- 2026
- zero at:
- 32
- accuracy:
- 40.26
- baseline:
- 50
- actual pick:
- 172
- difficulty:
- 1
- weeks in the season:
- 18
- pick accuracy:
- 40.26
- predicted pick:
- sixth or seventh round (picks 193–236)
- weeks left when called:
- 0
- mock ordering score:
- 95