LZ

Lance Zierlein

NFL.com
41.2 avg (5yr)NFL.com Senior Analyst
5-Year Avg (HR)
41.2/64
5-Year HR Rank
28th / 79
2026 Prediction
April 22 · 1 Day Before
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Lance Zierlein is one of the most well-known NFL Draft analysts in the industry. As a senior analyst at NFL.com, he publishes his signature "Mock Draft 4.0" — his final mock — typically the day before the NFL Draft each year. He's been a consistent fixture in the draft community for over a decade, known for his detailed player evaluations and prospect comparisons.

Over the 2021–2025 window, Zierlein averages 41.2 out of 64 points on the Huddle Report , with a peak score of 44 points in 2024. He's also tracked on FantasyPros , where his best finish was #21 in 2021 (178/320 pts). His approach blends traditional scouting with film study and league source intel, making him one of the more balanced evaluators in the space.

Year-by-Year Accuracy

Scoring: 1 pt for player placed in Round 1, 2 pts for player-team match. Maximum possible score is 64 per year (32 picks × 2 pts).

Why do these scores differ?
The Huddle Report ↗ scores are official numbers from thehuddlereport.com, where analysts submit their mocks directly. The “Calculated” scores are what we compute from each analyst’s publicly posted online mock draft. Analysts may submit a different mock to the Huddle Report than what they publish online, leading to score differences.
HR Official
43
Calc: 35
of 64 pts
67%
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HR Official
42
Calc: 33
of 64 pts
66%
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HR Official
39
Calc: 30
of 64 pts
61%
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HR Official
44
Calc: 34
of 64 pts
69%
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HR Official
38
Calc: 30
of 64 pts
59%
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5-Year Average (HR)
41.2
Calc: 32.4
Best Year (HR)
44 (2024)
Calc Best: 35 (2021)
Best % Accuracy
69%

Sources & Links

🔗The Huddle Report – Mock Draft Scores 🔗FantasyPros – NFL Mock Draft Accuracy 🔗Lance Zierlein – NFL.com Profile 🔗2025 Final Mock Draft 4.0 – NFL.com 🔗2024 Final Mock Draft 4.0 – NFL.com
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Head-to-Head Comparisons

vs Brendan Donahuevs Charlie Campbellvs Daniel Jeremiahvs Jared Smolavs Jason Borisvs Jeff Ratcliffevs Josh Norrisvs Justin Balesvs Lou Pickneyvs Matt Millervs Matthew Freedmanvs Mel Kiper Jr.vs Peter Schragervs Russell Brownvs Scott Smithvs Todd McShayvs Walter Cherepinsky

See Also

MK
Mel Kiper Jr.
ESPN · 40+ Years of Draft Analysis · 47 pts in 2025
DJ
Daniel Jeremiah
NFL Network · 5-Year HR Average 40.8 · Top NFL Draft Analyst

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Lance Zierlein Mock Draft Accuracy: NFL.com's Draft Expert

Lance Zierlein has been one of the most prominent NFL Draft analysts for over a decade, serving as a senior draft analyst at NFL.com. His "Mock Draft 4.0" series — typically his final mock before each draft — has become one of the most anticipated annual publications in the NFL Draft community, known for its detailed analysis and creative trade scenarios.

Over the five-year window from 2021 to 2025, Zierlein has averaged 41.2 points out of a possible 64 on the Huddle Report scoring system. His best year came in 2024, when he scored 44 points — his highest mark in the tracking period. On FantasyPros, which uses a different scoring methodology (max 320 points), his best finish was 21st overall in 2021 with 178 points.

See his complete pick-by-pick breakdowns for each year on the individual year pages, or compare his accuracy against other analysts on the full leaderboard. You can also compare Lance Zierlein vs Daniel Jeremiah or any other analyst head-to-head.