The McShay Show: "Rough Draft 1.5: Dueling 2026 Mocks and the Latest Buzz from NFL Scouts"
The Ringer | November 13, 2025 | Host: Todd McShay

Episode Overview

Todd McShay and co-host Steve Mensch dive deep into the evolving landscape of the 2026 NFL Draft, sharing inside buzz from NFL scouts and unpacking their latest scouting notes. The centerpiece of the episode is a "dueling mock" format, where each host unveils their top-12 picks for the next NFL Draft—trades and all. Through candid (and often humorous) debate, they shed light on rising and falling prospects, the strengths and weaknesses of the 2026 class, and what NFL teams are actually saying behind closed doors.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Early Scout Buzz: Edge Rusher Debate & Prospect Updates

(04:00 – 13:56)

• Edge Rusher Turmoil:

  • The edge rusher class is polarizing.
  • Reuben Bain Jr. (Miami): Some scouts praise him as "Edge 1," but there are doubts his sack production will translate to NFL stardom.
  • Keldrick Falk (Auburn): Also near the top, but opinions about his upside vary.
  • David Bailey (Texas Tech): Lauded as the best pure pass rusher; not the biggest or strongest but fits certain team profiles.
  • Others: Our Mason Thomas (Oklahoma) and Cashus Howell (Texas A&M) are also in the first-round mix, but Howell receives skepticism from some scouts.

• Quote:

  • "Reuben Bane’s a little bit more of a polarizing prospect than maybe people think... I just don’t see [special sack production]." – McShay (04:21)
  • "David Bailey, best pure pass rusher. I think we all agree." – McShay (05:37)

• Tight End Group & Kenyon Sadiq Concerns:

  • Sadiq (Oregon) is viewed as a lock for "TE1" and a likely top-20 pick, but scouts worry his "route running has not evolved" and he’s not separating. There’s frustration internally at Oregon.
  • "[Sadiq]'s going to have a huge combine. It’s not going to be the level of Kyle Pitts... but people in the Oregon building are disappointed—route running hasn’t evolved." – McShay (08:05)

• Other Notable Risers:

  • Blake Miller (Clemson, OT): Gaining traction with at least one influential scout.
  • Brandon C. Say (South Carolina CB, NC State transfer): Drawing "cornerback one" talk among scouts.

• Wide Receiver Group is Deep:

  • Wide array of WR opinions: Carnell Tate, Jordan Tyson, Maai Lemon each have fans among NFL evaluators.
  • "The wide receiver class is as hot in NFL scouting circles as people think... some like Carnell Tate first, some like Jordan Tyson first." – McShay (13:45)

• Quarterbacks:

  • Big names like Dante Moore and Lenore Sellers are expected to return to school, reshaping the QB outlook.

2. FanDuel Picks of the Week

(13:58 – 18:24)

• McShay and Mensch briefly give their college football picks, joking about accountability (or lack thereof) for misses.
• Notable picks:
  • Notre Dame to cover vs. Pitt (Mensch)
  • Mississippi State (+7) at Missouri (McShay)
• (Note: This section primarily entertainment—not draft-related.)

3. Mock Draft Philosophy & Ground Rules

(18:24 – 21:25)

• Instead of a "scramble" mock, each host created their own top-12, integrating trades, with restrictions—no hypothetical early entrants (e.g., Dante Moore, Lenore Sellers).
• Quote: "We're going to go through the first 12 picks... The only restriction is we're not including Dante Moore or Lenore Sellers." – McShay (20:05)

4. Dueling Top-12 Mock Draft: In-Depth Picks & Rationale

(21:25 – 49:41)

Key Teams & Themes:

• Tennessee (Pick 1):

  • Mensch trades the pick to the Jets, who take QB Fernando Mendoza (Indiana).
  • McShay stays put, has Tennessee taking Arvell Reese (LB/EDGE, Ohio State) as a Micah Parsons comp.
  • "People in Tennessee might look at Arvell Reese as the next Micah Parsons... might be a special, special player." – McShay (23:05)

• New Orleans (Pick 2):

  • McShay trades out; Mensch stands pat and selects Arvell Reese (who McShay already picked for Tennessee), highlighting fit in a Brandon Staley system.

• New York Giants (Pick 3):

  • Mensch picks OL Spencer Fano (Utah): "Bookend offensive tackles—elite in this league." (32:11)
  • McShay trades the pick to Cleveland, who leapfrog for Ty Simpson (QB, Alabama). Giants then take WR Jordan Tyson (Arizona State) after trading back.

• Cleveland (Pick 4):

  • Both have Browns targeting Ty Simpson (QB), with trade-up emphasis from McShay.

• Jets (Pick 5):

  • Both hosts’ mocks have the Jets having already made their picks via trade.

• Tennessee (Pick 5 after move-back):

  • Mensch: Reuben Bain Jr. (Miami, Edge) – "I trust my board, I'm going Reuben Bain Jr." (37:21)
  • McShay (New Orleans here via trade): Keldrick Falk (Auburn, Edge) – "Could be the next Cam Jordan... same scouting regime." (38:12)

• Mid-Round Teams (6–9):

  • Both address major needs (defensive line, offensive line, edge) primarily for Raiders, Dolphins, Commanders, Bengals.
  • Peter Woods (Clemson, DL): Raiders or Bengals.
  • Francis Mauigoa/Mauinoa (Miami, OT): Often lands with Miami if Fano is off the board.
  • Hilarious moment: Mensch flubs a stat — "Bengals giving up 426.6 rushing yards per game," quickly corrected but kept in for banter (42:31).

• Late Top-12 (10–12):

  • Mock trade: Rams trade out, Houston moves up for an OL (Francis Maui Noah).
  • Arizona (11): McShay picks Jeremiah Love (RB, Notre Dame); Mensch picks WR Jordan Tyson (if still available).
  • Dallas (12): Both see an RB need; Mensch takes Jeremiah Love: "Jeremiah Love playing for America's Team. Yes please!" (49:27)
  • McShay: David Bailey (Texas Tech, Edge) to Dallas as Parsons replacement.

Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Edge Rusher Debate:

  • "I actually had a general manager at the college level call me last night... wanted to make sure this wasn't the beginning of a snowball effect." – McShay (03:43)

• On Kenyon Sadiq's Downside:

  • "His route running has not evolved. He’s not separating and getting open... people in the Oregon building are disappointed." – McShay (08:05)

• On CB Brandon C. Say:

  • "He might be cornerback one. He’s smooth and he moves well, and he can press." – McShay (10:49)

• On draft philosophy:

  • "If we know what we know and feel good about the info, let’s not just swim upstream for no reason because it’s cute and it might get more clicks." – McShay (20:44)

• On the constantly shifting QB landscape:

  • "Dante Moore's going back to school. Sellers needs to return... might not be to Columbia, South Carolina." – McShay (12:54)

• Lighthearted banter:

  • Mensch: "I must have it wrong... but worse than league!"
  • McShay: "You could say a thousand rushing yards and I’d have to consider it. It’s so bad." (42:36)

• Mock Trade Haranguing:

  • "Mensch gets his training wheels off... he's got his own mock now. Folks, here we go." – McShay (18:54, 19:02)

Timestamps for Notable Segments

• Edge class scout buzz & positional talk: 04:00 – 11:50
• Wide receiver, running back, and cornerback class discussion: 11:54 – 13:56
• FanDuel Picks (skip for draft content): 13:58 – 18:24
• Mock Draft setup & philosophy: 18:24 – 21:25
• Dueling Mock: Top five picks and trade logic: 21:25 – 38:12
• Picks 6–9 recap & stat flub moment: 38:12 – 43:49
• Picks 10–12 & wrap-up: 43:49 – 49:41

Tone & Style

Lively, inside-scout banter with a mix of deep football analysis, front office whispers, and good-natured ribbing. The hosts never take themselves—or mock drafts—too seriously, inviting listeners into the evolving, ever-unfinished world of NFL talent evaluation.

Summary in a Nutshell

• The 2026 NFL Draft class is wide open at several key positions, particularly edge rusher and wide receiver.
• There are more quality offensive tackles and wide receivers than usual; edge rusher remains contentious.
• Scouts are particularly split on Reuben Bain, Keldrick Falk, and the elite tight ends.
• Major QBs may stay in school, leading to creative trade-up/strategy decisions in this year’s draft.
• The hosts’ mock drafts feature several trades, showing how the real NFL teams might maneuver.
• If you follow the NFL Draft, this episode provides a front-row seat to the honest conversations shaping next spring.

For detailed pick-by-pick analysis and ongoing draft coverage, subscribe to Todd’s newsletter or follow The McShay Show every week.

“If you’re a fan of the NFL Draft... hopefully you found this insightful. If not, maybe now’s a good time to get involved as we ramp up draft coverage.”
— Todd McShay (50:07)