Apr 23, 2026 · 40 min
Middlekauff predicts a volatile first round
3 & Out - 10 Bold Predictions heading into the NFL Draft
The predictions test how teams value quarterbacks, receivers, running backs and draft capital in a class defined by uncertainty.
- 1Middlekauff expects more than five first-round trades as teams prioritize immediate contention over preserving future draft capital.
- 2He predicts no receiver will go in the top ten, Jeremiah Love will fall outside the top five, and the second running back after pick 50.
- 3Fernando Mendoza is projected as the only first-round quarterback, while the Lions are expected to trade up for an offensive tackle.
Don't miss
Middlekauff predicts that Fernando Mendoza will be the only quarterback selected in the first round, rejecting Ty Simpson as a first-round talent.
The brief
John Middlekauff frames the episode around ten bold predictions for the 2026 NFL Draft, focusing on how teams will use time, picks and positional value.
He expects the first round to accelerate as the NFL shortens pick windows, creating a faster television product while preserving enough time for trade negotiations.
The forecast calls for more than five first-round trades, reflecting teams’ preference for winning now over protecting future draft capital; Aaron Rodgers’ Steelers future also enters the discussion.
Middlekauff predicts the Lions will trade up for an offensive tackle, while warning that public reports often conceal what front offices actually plan to do.
His player-market calls are stark: no receiver in the top ten, Jeremiah Love outside the top five, and only Fernando Mendoza among first-round quarterbacks.
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