# Bucky Brooks — prediction record Bucky Brooks is a former NFL player turned analyst, now in his sixth season with NFL Network and NFL.com. After being drafted in the second round by the Buffalo Bills in 1994, he spent five years in the league primarily as a kick returner before moving into media. These days he co-hosts the podcast *Move the Sticks* with fellow ex-scout Daniel Jeremiah, where the two break down game previews, draft scouting, and whatever else the NFL calendar throws at them. Brooks also contributes weekly columns and video features like "Scout's Take" and "On the Beat" to NFL.com, and he pops up regularly on the Dave Dameshek Football Program to talk drafts and lists. His work covers a wide range — draft projections, MVP predictions, Super Bowl picks, roster rankings — with particular attention to running backs, quarterbacks, and young players entering the league. ## Record - **Accuracy:** 75.76% - **MissedTakes Score:** 30.6 - **Graded articles:** 24 - **Graded individual calls:** 115 - **Clarity:** 93.75% LIMITED SAMPLE: between 10 and 29 graded articles. Treat with caution. The MissedTakes Score is how much better than a naive baseline they did, not how often they were right. Zero means no better than a strategy requiring no knowledge. A record is counted in ARTICLES rather than individual calls, because thirty picks in one mock draft is one act of judgment rather than thirty. Full method: https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/methodology ## Graded articles (24) ### Aug 30, 2026 — scored 50 across 2 calls Brooks predicted J.J. McCarthy won't be on the Vikings' roster (traded or released), said Kyler Murray wins the Vikings' QB competition, made a series of 2025 award picks, made 2026 Heisman/draft projections including Arch Manning as the front-runner for the No. 1 overall pick, and said none of Lamar Jackson, Josh Allen or Joe Burrow win a championship this season. https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/10c3797b-f9e0-41ca-a2a3-5d765a242a79 ### Aug 2, 2026 — scored 100 across 1 call In a quarterback rapid-fire segment and later discussion, Brooks named starters for several clubs (Kyler Murray over JJ McCarthy in Minnesota, Shedeur Sanders in Cleveland, Tua in Atlanta, Jeremiah Love as Arizona's starting running back), called Chris Olave a No. 1 receiver, backed Stefon Diggs landing with the Commanders and Aaron Donald returning to the Rams, argued Baker Mayfield belongs among the top 15-17 quarterbacks, and published a top-five defensive tackle list topped by Jeffrey Simmons. https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/9538b827-fc12-4c2e-8e32-eaa69edc6c2d ### Apr 3, 2026 — scored 100 across 1 call Brooks endorses several of Jeremiah's Day 2 names, projecting Dominique Orange as a Day 2/third-round defensive tackle, Max Claire as a top-50 pick and starting tight end, and Demon Claiborne at the bottom of Day 2. https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/2fa0d2fb-2eab-4157-9554-1a266c475109 ### Mar 26, 2026 — scored 77.19 across 28 calls Bucky Brooks walked through his new full first-round mock draft, naming a player for each pick from 1 through 32, and also pegged the Arizona State offensive tackle as a top-of-the-second-round, top-50 selection. https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/28b96d8d-ec46-4340-8d2e-effa71a253dc ### Mar 13, 2026 — scored 56.95 across 6 calls 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 ### Mar 8, 2026 — scored 100 across 2 calls Brooks made a series of NFL predictions: Fernando Mendoza going No. 1 overall to the Raiders, Kyler Murray landing with the Vikings, Malik Willis becoming Arizona's quarterback, Aaron Rodgers returning to Pittsburgh, Daniel Jones starting for the Colts, and Seattle drafting a running back. He also gave draft evaluations, saying Taylen Green will not be a first-round pick, and picked Duke as the best team in college basketball. https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/8ee46a3a-44ba-4b8a-80e6-1bbcfaa90290 ### Mar 3, 2026 — scored 50 across 2 calls Brooks argued Ty Simpson's value matches the bottom of the first round or the second round, not a top-six pick, and graded receiver Germie Bernard as a middle-of-the-second-round prospect. https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/f2f580b4-4413-425c-836f-fcc792b4e32f ### Mar 1, 2026 — scored 84.64 across 4 calls Brooks called Notre Dame running back Jeremiah Love the best prospect in the class and a top-five pick, pegged Arkansas' Mike Washington as a Day 2 (second- or third-round) pick, slotted Ty Simpson as the second quarterback off the board after Fernando Mendoza, and said Omar Cooper is a first-rounder. https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/c5f73411-5250-4743-b506-56919ca3507b ### Mar 1, 2026 — scored 85.35 across 2 calls In his second NFL.com mock draft, Brooks has Indiana QB Fernando Mendoza going No. 1 overall to Las Vegas and Miami edge rusher Ruben Bain Jr. going No. 7 to the Washington Commanders. He also believes Vanderbilt QB Diego Pavia will go undrafted entirely. https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/9052d635-bedb-41a8-aba9-b584e166a0a6 ### Feb 28, 2026 — scored 100 across 1 call After day two of on-field combine work, Brooks said safety Dylan Denneman's testing cemented him as a first-day draft pick, cornerback D'Angelo Ponds will come off the board inside the top 60, and tight end Kenyon Sadik locked himself into the first round. https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/fa290f65-0218-48f2-8ff5-871a94347be5 ### Feb 27, 2026 — scored 80.68 across 3 calls Brooks argues Sonny Styles submitted himself as a top-ten player and calls it a lock he goes inside the top ten, with Washington at 7 and Cincinnati at 8 as natural landing spots. He also locks Caleb Banks into the first round, and says Malaki Lawrence may go earlier than expected. He predicts Brandon Sees can lock in a first-round spot if he tests well. https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/e4d9b4d7-70c8-418a-9eda-4058c91aa623 ### Feb 25, 2026 — scored 100 across 1 call Brooks says Mendoza is the clear No. 1 who is slotted to the Raiders, puts Jeremiah Love's draft sweet spot at picks eight to nine, and views Omar Cooper as a complementary No. 2/No. 3 receiver worthy of top-50 consideration. https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/554a04bf-e448-4e84-a156-8851ca8f9806 ### Feb 16, 2026 — scored 91.97 across 5 calls In the joint top-10 mock, Brooks gave the Jets David Bailey at No. 2, Tennessee Arvell Reese at No. 4, Cleveland Spencer Fano at No. 6, New Orleans running back Jeremiah Love at No. 8 and Cincinnati safety Caleb Downs at No. 10. https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/09f2af75-fe7a-4977-8bb7-73920619d89b ### Feb 8, 2026 — scored 91.52 across 6 calls Brooks laid out his mock draft: Fernando Mendoza to the Raiders at No. 1, Arvell Reese to the Jets at No. 2, Francis Mauigoa to the Cardinals at No. 3, David Bailey to the Titans at No. 4, and a defensive back for the Bengals at No. 10. He also expects Shedeur Sanders to win the Browns' starting quarterback job. https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/7bc22bd5-95c4-4cd0-80d1-626cd8fa9cbb ### Feb 5, 2026 — scored 68.56 across 33 calls Bucky Brooks walked through his full first-round mock draft (NFL.com), pick by pick from the Raiders at No. 1 through Seattle at No. 32, including Fernando Mendoza first overall, Ty Simpson to the Rams at 29, and Keldric Faulk to Dallas at 20. He also graded Faulk as a fringe first-rounder outside the top 20, and predicted the Titans would move on from Calvin Ridley. https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/c339c6e0-b429-4877-987e-0e0d8a4ef4c5 ### Oct 16, 2025 — scored 0 across 1 call Brooks offered his own AFC top five — Colts, Steelers, Chargers, Broncos, then the Patriots over the Bills — leaving the Chiefs out entirely and citing New England's coaching and quarterback play. https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/31e1dc9b-213f-4cd3-b676-ff86a7e1154f ### Apr 5, 2025 — scored 82.42 across 2 calls Brooks argued Mason Taylor is a worthy bottom-of-the-first-round pick and could be the third tight end drafted, and he also expects Jalen Milroe to be drafted higher than expected based on tools. https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/0ab23530-881b-4dd2-aec1-656c5cd588da ### Mar 27, 2025 — scored 63.86 across 4 calls His third mock draft, described on the show, has quarterbacks going 1-2 with Shedeur Sanders to Cleveland at No. 2, Travis Hunter to the Giants at No. 3, Mason Graham to Jacksonville at No. 5, Omarion Hampton to the Bears at No. 10, Tyler Warren to the Jets, and Abdul Carter to New England. https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/f4fa7a50-6df9-4ab8-beba-8682bc8cf470 ### Mar 4, 2025 — scored 80.52 across 1 call Bucky argued Jahdae Barron's speed and versatility make him a candidate to be a top-15 pick, and said Shedeur Sanders and Cam Ward should be the first two quarterbacks off the board. https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/6dd69ed4-2518-497a-ad8b-7ba8d4ce86bf ### Mar 2, 2025 — scored 32.55 across 2 calls Brooks argues Jalen Milroe should be a second-round pick, ideally landing behind a running quarterback, and touts Matthew Golden as potentially the class's top wide receiver. He also believes the running back depth means teams can land frontline starters in rounds two and three. https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/91111041-0cf3-4d1e-821d-ff0a13e5c46d ### Feb 28, 2025 — scored 77.11 across 1 call Brooks says his latest mock draft has Tennessee edge rusher James Pearce going to the Philadelphia Eagles at pick 32. https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/ded1180b-f4ba-4bc9-adeb-9bce3fe35e57 ### Feb 15, 2025 — scored 100 across 1 call Brooks named the Eagles, Lions and Packers as the teams with the widest Super Bowl windows, saying Philadelphia's loaded young roster should be a final-four team for the next several years. https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/d8382151-9f28-49b7-8c66-c0fdbf7bce5d ### Jan 16, 2025 — scored 50 across 4 calls Brooks matched Jeremiah's divisional-round picks except he took the Ravens over the Bills, arguing Baltimore has more talent and Buffalo lacks an elite perimeter playmaker. https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/173d5424-9b7e-4f21-9e25-37af8575f018 ### Jan 10, 2025 — scored 86.49 across 2 calls Brooks sorted the 14 playoff quarterbacks into four tiers, placing Mahomes, Allen, Lamar Jackson and Jayden Daniels as the elites, Herbert, Goff and Stafford in tier two, Mayfield, Darnold, Love and Hurts (in that order) in tier three, and Stroud, Russell Wilson and Bo Nix in the unpredictable tier. He also picked Jayden Daniels as Offensive Rookie of the Year. https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/1f77b68c-45ee-4712-b82d-9e2609e14530 --- We grade claims about outcomes, never claims about people. If something here is wrong, tell us: https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/corrections?pundit=bucky-brooks