Justin Melo· Sep 13, 2026
Melo argues Ohio State receiver Jeremiah Smith has a realistic shot to be the No. 1 overall pick in the 2027 NFL Draft, calling him the best prospect in the country and saying positional value shouldn't keep him from going first.
“Smith is the best prospect in the country, and positional value shouldn't play a role in his outcome.”
published in writing · Sports Illustrated · read the original →
One checkable claim, graded on its own against what actually happened.
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Of the 1 unsettled call enough other pundits have weighed in on, this one lands below the rest of the room.
Where this call stands in the room
Jeremiah Smith · 2026 season · overall pick3 calls from 3 pundits between 1 overall pick and 1 overall pick. Justin Melo said 1 overall pick. the room's median is 1 overall pick. not settled yet
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1 checkable claim in this take
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- Mock Draft PicksJeremiah SmithSep 13, 2026
Jeremiah Smith to be picked at number 1
“Smith continues to prove he possesses a realistic chance to become the first receiver to go No. 1 overall in the NFL Draft since Keyshawn Johnson did so in 1996.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
What others said about the same people
- Rob RangMock Draft Picks · Jeremiah SmithMiss · 0Rang 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.
- Rob BushkaMock Draft Picks · Jeremiah SmithMiss · 0Buschka predicted Ohio State receiver Jeremiah Smith could be the No. 1 overall pick in next year's draft, that Ty Simpson will sit as a clipboard-holding backup, that the receiver the Rams passed on (Lemon) will break out with a huge target share once AJ Brown is moved to New England, and he called Sean McVay the best coach in the NFL.
- Daniel WadeMock Draft Picks · Jeremiah SmithMiss · 0In a trade-back mock draft, Wade has the Chargers deal pick 22 to Miami and select edge rusher Cassius Howell at 30, guard Keelan Rutledge at 55, cornerback Malik Muhammad at 86, wide receiver Brennan Thompson at 87, linebacker Keyshawn Elliott at 123, and offensive tackle Travis Burke at 151.
- Charlie CampbellDepth Chart Calls · Jeremiah SmithPendingAn unsigned 2027 NFL Draft stock report predicts Ohio State WR Jeremiah Smith will be one of the first players drafted in the coming April draft, projects him as an elite No. 1 NFL receiver with early-career Pro Bowl potential, and says Arizona State WR Reed Harris is showing early-round potential.
- Josh EdwardsMock Draft Picks · Jeremiah SmithPendingAn unsigned CBS Sports 2027 NFL mock draft projecting the full first round plus select second-round picks, headlined by Arch Manning going No. 1 overall to Miami and five quarterbacks in Round 1.
- Charlie CampbellMock Draft Picks · Jeremiah SmithPendingAn unsigned college scouting recap projecting several prospects' NFL draft standing: Arch Manning as a high first-round pick, Jeremiah Smith as one of the first players drafted and a future elite No. 1 receiver/early Pro Bowler, Cam Coleman as a top-20 pick, Colin Simmons and John Henry Daley as first-rounders, and Zeke Berry as more of a second-round pick.
More mock draft picks
The same kind of call, about other players and teams.
- Gregg RosenthalMock Draft Picks · Brandon DoughtyMiss · 3Rosenthal 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.
- Peter BukowskiMock Draft Picks · Gennings DunkerHit · 100Bukowski 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.
- David HarrisonMock Draft Picks · Eli HeidenreichHit · 100Harrison 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.
- Brian PeacockMock Draft Picks · Bud ClarkHit · 96In 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.
- David HarrisonMock Draft Picks · Riley NowakowskiMiss · 13In 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.
- Damian ParsonMock Draft Picks · Zachariah BranchHit · 100Locked On's draft analyst laid out where several prospects should land in the upcoming draft: Zachariah Branch as a Day 2/third-round target for the Chargers, Penn State's top offensive lineman gone well before pick 22 (ideally 14 to Baltimore), Akeem Mesador and Malachi Lawrence as first-round edge rushers, Derrick Moore as a Day 2 edge, and Texas's left tackle as a top-10 pick next year.