Colin Cowherd#54 of 87 NFL pundits · Jan 7, 2025
Cowherd leaned the Chargers over the Texans, the Ravens over the Steelers, the Bills over the Broncos, the Eagles over the Packers and the Vikings over the Rams in the wild-card round, and in college they liked Ohio State and Notre Dame. They also projected Kyle McCord as a third-round quarterback and said it wouldn't be crazy if Abdul Carter went No. 1 overall.
Said on air or in an interview · The Colin Cowherd Podcast (podcast)Hear the original
What Colin Cowherd said
our reading, beside the words we read it fromI like the Ravens to just I think if they played ten times the Ravens this current makeup of both teams, I would take the Ravens to win eight of them.
- Where it was said
- The Colin Cowherd Podcast (podcast)
- The episode
- Colin Cowherd Podcast - Wild Card Predictions, NFL Coaching Openings, Sean Payton Was RIGHT, Notre Dame’s Advantage, College Football Playoff Semifinals
- The original
- Hear the original
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- Tell us and we will look
The page this came from has changed since we captured it on Aug 5, 2026. The quote and evidence here are from our capture, not from what the page says today.
- SaidJan 7, 2025
- GradedAug 5–18, 2026
- 1Kyle McCord to be picked “third round quarterback” (picks 65–102)“but Riley Leonard McCord out of Syracuse I think will end up being I think he'll end up being like a third round quarterback that sticks in the league for a long time. Kyle McCord is”
- 2Minnesota Vikings to beat Rams“I think the Vikings bounce back. I think their receiving core is a real problem for the Rams. Secondary.”
- 3Philadelphia Eagles to beat Green Bay“my favorite bet of the weekend is the Eagles minus four and a half against Green Bay... And I like Philadelphia kind of rolling Green Bay.”
- 4Abdul Carter to be picked at number 1“But I will say about Penn State Abduall Carter that rush end. If he's healthy, John, if he got drafted number one. I don't think it's crazy. I think he's so good.”
- 5Buffalo Bills to beat Broncos“But I do think the Bills win by about ten points. I could see twenty eight, twenty thirty, twenty.”
Box score
HitCloseMissWaiting| Verdict | Call | Kind | What happened | Score | Naive | Skill |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kyle McCord to be picked “third round quarterback” (picks 65–102)1 | Mock Draft Picks | Went 181 | 3.26 | 50 | — | |
| Minnesota Vikings to beat Rams2 | Game Outcome Picks | — | 0 | 100 | −100 | |
| Philadelphia Eagles to beat Green Bay3 | Game Outcome Picks | — | 100 | 100 | 0 | |
| Abdul Carter to be picked at number 14 | Mock Draft Picks | Went 3 | 91.7 | 50 | — | |
| Buffalo Bills to beat Broncos5 | Game Outcome Picks | — | 100 | 100 | 0 | |
| 5 calls · 3 hits · 2 misses · all settled | 59 | 80 | ||||
Game calls show that game’s closing betting line under their grade: a dated fact from nflverse, for context and never part of a grade. MissedTakes takes no bets and earns nothing from any sportsbook.
How each call scored
a naive guessbetter than naiveworse than naive5 checkable claims — 3 game outcome picks and 2 mock draft picks — each graded on its own rather than as one all-or-nothing call.
It names 5 players and teams, each linked to their own record.
All 5 have settled, averaging 59 out of 100, against 80 for a naive guess at the same calls.
Each call is scored 0 to 100 against what happened, on its own, by the published methodology. The naive guess is what knowing nothing would have scored on the same calls; the gap, weighted by how hard the call was, is the skill.
Their call against what happened
overall pickTheir call against what actually happened.
Kyle McCord to be picked “third round quarterback” (picks 65–102)
What happenedWent 1813.26Miss · naive 50Think this is wrong?How this was scored
- draft:
- 2025
- naive:
- a shuffled mock scores 50
- player:
- Kyle McCord
- season:
- 2024
- zero credit this far off:
- 32
- accuracy:
- 3.26
- baseline:
- 50
- actual pick:
- 181
- difficulty:
- 1
- weeks in the season:
- 18
- pick accuracy:
- 3.26
- predicted pick:
- third round quarterback (picks 65–102)
- weeks left when called:
- 0
- mock ordering score:
- only one pick — no order to score
2Game Outcome PicksMinnesota Vikings
Minnesota Vikings to beat Rams
VerdictMiss0Miss · naive 1000this call−100a naive guess=−100worse than naive×1difficulty=−100skillClosing line (Jan 13): Vikings by 2.5 · favorite pick, Vikings 56%.
Think this is wrong?How this was scored
- won:
- LAR
- score:
- 9-27
- skill:
- −100
- they picked:
- MIN
- season:
- 2024
- accuracy:
- 0
- baseline:
- 100
- the naive pick:
- LAR
- difficulty:
- 1
- weeks in the season:
- 18
- weeks left when called:
- 0
3Game Outcome PicksPhiladelphia Eagles
Philadelphia Eagles to beat Green Bay
VerdictHit100Hit · naive 100100this call−100a naive guess=0better than naive×1difficulty=0skillClosing line (Jan 12): Eagles by 5.5 · favorite pick, Eagles about 2 in 3 (69%). Graded on who won, not on the spread.
Think this is wrong?How this was scored
- won:
- PHI
- score:
- 10-22
- skill:
- 0
- they picked:
- PHI
- season:
- 2024
- accuracy:
- 100
- baseline:
- 100
- the naive pick:
- PHI
- difficulty:
- 1
- weeks in the season:
- 18
- weeks left when called:
- 0
Abdul Carter to be picked at number 1
What happenedWent 3mocked at 191.7Hit · naive 50Think this is wrong?How this was scored
- draft:
- 2025
- naive:
- a shuffled mock scores 50
- player:
- Abdul Carter
- season:
- 2024
- zero credit this far off:
- 32
- accuracy:
- 91.7
- baseline:
- 50
- actual pick:
- 3
- difficulty:
- 1
- weeks in the season:
- 18
- pick accuracy:
- 91.7
- predicted pick:
- 1
- weeks left when called:
- 0
- mock ordering score:
- only one pick — no order to score
5Game Outcome PicksBuffalo Bills
Buffalo Bills to beat Broncos
VerdictHit100Hit · naive 100100this call−100a naive guess=0better than naive×1difficulty=0skillClosing line (Jan 12): Bills by 7.5 · favorite pick, Bills 78%.
Think this is wrong?How this was scored
- won:
- BUF
- score:
- 7-31
- skill:
- 0
- they picked:
- BUF
- season:
- 2024
- accuracy:
- 100
- baseline:
- 100
- the naive pick:
- BUF
- difficulty:
- 1
- weeks in the season:
- 18
- weeks left when called:
- 0
- All
The take as a whole
the average of 5 settled calls, each counted once
59naive 80
Who this take is about
Others on the same people
Logan Lazarczyk · Trade and Signing Calls · Kirk Cousins · Hit 100
Ahead of the trade deadline, they float three Raiders moves: shipping Kirk Cousins to Minnesota if the Vikings offer a second-round pick, selling Maxx Crosby to Dallas for a first-rounder plus, and acquiring Jaguars receiver Brian Thomas Jr. for a second- or third-round pick.Charean Williams · Roster Spot Calls · Odell Beckham Jr. · Miss 0
Williams writes that after releasing Odell Beckham Jr. to open a roster spot for Kirk Cousins, the Vikings will bring them back on the practice squad.Pete Prisco · Score Predictions · Buffalo Bills · Close 76
Prisco picked the Bills to win 21-14 at Minnesota.John Breech · Score Predictions · Buffalo Bills · Close 76
Breech picked the Bills to beat the Vikings on Monday night by a score of 24-17.
More game outcome picks
The same kind of call, about other players and teams.
Sam Monson · Game Outcome Picks · New York Giants · Miss 0
Monson picked every Week 10 game, taking the Giants, Lions, Packers, Panthers, Colts, Texans, Bills, Chiefs, Jaguars, Seahawks, Rams, Cowboys, Bengals and Ravens, and also suggested the Chargers' only likely wins the rest of the way come against the Jets and Dolphins.Eva Geitheim · Game Outcome Picks · Washington Commanders · Hit 100
Geitheim picked the Commanders, Lions, Chiefs, Texans, Vikings, Jaguars, Colts, Panthers, Bills, Seahawks, Rams, 49ers, Bengals and Ravens in Week 10.Conor Orr · Game Outcome Picks · New York Giants · Miss 0
Orr picked the Giants, Lions, Chiefs, Texans, Packers, Jaguars, Dolphins, Panthers, Bills, Seahawks, Rams, 49ers, Bengals and Chargers in Week 10.Albert Breer · Game Outcome Picks · New York Giants · Miss 0
Breer picked all 14 Week 10 games straight up, favoring the Giants, Lions, Chiefs, Texans, Packers, Jaguars, Dolphins, Panthers, Bills, Seahawks, Rams, 49ers, Bengals and Ravens.Mitch Goldich · Game Outcome Picks · New York Giants · Miss 0
Goldich picked the Giants, Lions, Chiefs, Texans, Packers, Jaguars, Dolphins, Panthers, Bills, Seahawks, Rams, 49ers, Bengals and Ravens in Week 10.Matt Verderame · Game Outcome Picks · New York Giants · Miss 0
Verderame picked the Giants, Lions, Chiefs, Texans, Packers, Jaguars, Dolphins, Saints, Bills, Seahawks, Rams, 49ers, Bengals and Ravens in Week 10.