# Colin Cowherd: Cowherd delivered a mock draft of the first 15 picks based on what they say they're hearing from league sources, starting with Fernando Mendoza to the Raiders at No. 1 and running through Emmanuel McNeil-Warren to Tampa Bay at No. 15.

**Claimed:** Apr 9, 2026
**Pundit:** Colin Cowherd — https://missedtakes.co/pundits/colin-cowherd
**Outlet:** The Herd with Colin Cowherd (podcast) — https://missedtakes.co/outlets/the-herd-with-colin-cowherd-podcast
**How it reached us:** said on air or in an interview
**Original:** https://omny.fm/shows/the-herd-with-colin-cowherd/the-herd-hour-1-there-is-a-tanking-epidemic-in-the-nba-new-nfl-mock-draft

15 checkable claims — 15 mock draft picks — each graded on its own rather than as one all-or-nothing call.

It names 30 players and teams, each linked to their own record.

All 15 have settled, averaging 78.2 out of 100, against 50 for a naive guess at the same calls.

> I'm going to give you the top fifteen draft picks where I think I have a chance to be at least reasonably accurate.

*(their words, quoted for attribution)*

## The claims

- **Makai Lemon to be picked at number 13**
  - Kind: Mock Draft Picks · About: Makai Lemon, Los Angeles Rams
  - Verdict: scored 73.84 out of 100, against 50 for a naive guess
- **Sonny Styles to be picked at number 5**
  - Kind: Mock Draft Picks · About: Sonny Styles, New York Giants
  - Verdict: scored 91.7 out of 100, against 50 for a naive guess
- **Caleb Downs to be picked at number 10**
  - Kind: Mock Draft Picks · About: Caleb Downs, Cincinnati Bengals
  - Verdict: scored 95.76 out of 100, against 50 for a naive guess
- **Fernando Mendoza to be picked at number 1**
  - Kind: Mock Draft Picks · About: Fernando Mendoza, Las Vegas Raiders
  - Verdict: scored 100 out of 100, against 50 for a naive guess
- **Monroe Freeling to be picked at number 14**
  - Kind: Mock Draft Picks · About: Monroe Freeling, Baltimore Ravens
  - Verdict: scored 80.52 out of 100, against 50 for a naive guess
- **Spencer Fano to be picked at number 9**
  - Kind: Mock Draft Picks · About: Spencer Fano, Kansas City Chiefs
  - Verdict: scored 100 out of 100, against 50 for a naive guess
- **Mansoor Delane to be picked at number 11**
  - Kind: Mock Draft Picks · About: Mansoor Delane, Miami Dolphins
  - Verdict: scored 80.52 out of 100, against 50 for a naive guess
- **Rueben Bain to be picked at number 8**
  - Kind: Mock Draft Picks · About: Rueben Bain, New Orleans Saints
  - Verdict: scored 73.84 out of 100, against 50 for a naive guess
- **Jermod McCoy to be picked at number 12**
  - Kind: Mock Draft Picks · About: Jermod McCoy, Dallas Cowboys
  - Verdict: scored 2.12 out of 100, against 50 for a naive guess
- **Emmanuel McNeil-Warren to be picked at number 15**
  - Kind: Mock Draft Picks · About: Emmanuel McNeil-Warren, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
  - Verdict: scored 15.52 out of 100, against 50 for a naive guess
- **Francis Mauigoa to be picked at number 7**
  - Kind: Mock Draft Picks · About: Francis Mauigoa, Washington Commanders
  - Verdict: scored 87.81 out of 100, against 50 for a naive guess
- **Jeremiyah Love to be picked at number 4**
  - Kind: Mock Draft Picks · About: Jeremiyah Love, Tennessee Titans
  - Verdict: scored 95.76 out of 100, against 50 for a naive guess
- **David Bailey to be picked at number 3**
  - Kind: Mock Draft Picks · About: David Bailey, Arizona Cardinals
  - Verdict: scored 95.76 out of 100, against 50 for a naive guess
- **Carnell Tate to be picked at number 6**
  - Kind: Mock Draft Picks · About: Carnell Tate, Cleveland Browns
  - Verdict: scored 91.7 out of 100, against 50 for a naive guess
- **Arvell Reese to be picked at number 2**
  - Kind: Mock Draft Picks · About: Arvell Reese, New York Jets
  - Verdict: scored 87.81 out of 100, against 50 for a naive guess

## Who this take is about

- Makai Lemon — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/makai-lemon
- Los Angeles Rams — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/rams
- Sonny Styles — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/sonny-styles
- New York Giants — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/giants
- Caleb Downs — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/caleb-downs
- Cincinnati Bengals — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/bengals
- Fernando Mendoza — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/fernando-mendoza
- Las Vegas Raiders — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/raiders
- Monroe Freeling — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/monroe-freeling
- Baltimore Ravens — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/ravens
- Spencer Fano — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/spencer-fano
- Kansas City Chiefs — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/chiefs
- Mansoor Delane — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/mansoor-delane
- Miami Dolphins — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/dolphins
- Rueben Bain — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/rueben-bain
- New Orleans Saints — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/saints
- Jermod McCoy — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/jermod-mccoy
- Dallas Cowboys — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/cowboys
- Emmanuel McNeil-Warren — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/emmanuel-mcneil-warren
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/buccaneers
- Francis Mauigoa — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/francis-mauigoa
- Washington Commanders — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/commanders
- Jeremiyah Love — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/jeremiyah-love
- Tennessee Titans — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/titans
- David Bailey — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/david-bailey
- Arizona Cardinals — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/cardinals
- Carnell Tate — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/carnell-tate
- Cleveland Browns — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/browns
- Arvell Reese — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/arvell-reese
- New York Jets — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/jets

## What others said about the same people

- Chris Clark on Nikko Remigio: Clark expects the Chiefs to bring back exclusive-rights receiver Nico (Remigio) and long snapper James Winchester, to re-sign JuJu Smith-Schuster as a cheap veteran fifth receiver, and not to bring back Hollywood Brown, Josh Dobbs-type depth, Gardner Minshew, Janarius Robinson or Mike Caliendo; they also say the Chiefs will not use a franchise tag and believes Bryan Cook won't return. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/99521265-d5c0-4db1-b2a0-fe77908ea0b3 (scored 0)
- Sam Monson on New York Giants: 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. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/f4cb7a1e-1380-4f08-b39b-1432b97db846 (scored 0)
- Jordan Dajani on Washington Commanders: Dajani picks the Commanders to edge the Giants 21-20 on Thursday and the Chiefs to beat the Falcons 26-20 in Week 10. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/46f7646f-2c64-4827-a522-67975af79fb6 (scored 95.24)
- Tyler Sullivan on Washington Commanders: Sullivan takes the Commanders 24-21 over the Giants on Thursday night and calls for a Steelers upset of the Bengals, 27-24, in Week 10. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/1bb32676-c3b3-4b8e-8a03-b58396cf98bf (scored 100)
- Pete Prisco on New York Giants: Prisco picks the Giants to beat the Commanders 23-14 on Thursday night and the Lions to beat the Patriots 30-24 in Munich. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/e142b910-0967-4de9-9429-c342bc079205 (scored 35.71)
- John Breech on Washington Commanders: Breech picks the Commanders to upset the Giants on Thursday night, 24-17, and takes the Texans to beat the Browns 24-16 in Week 10 behind a pass rush that should batter Deshaun Watson. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/9fddc8e1-3823-4252-bdd7-f81ef11b1da3 (scored 90.48)

## More mock draft picks

The same kind of call, about other players and teams.

- Chris Simms on Malachi Corley: Simms named the Bears the NFL's best overall offense and best rushing offense, the Bengals the best passing offense, Seattle the best total defense, Minnesota the best pass defense and Tampa Bay the best run defense; they also called Tristan Wirfs the league's best offensive lineman, projected Miami's Malachi Toney as a top-15 pick, and predicted a 30-14 Jaguars win in Baltimore. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/c0fd4647-2de8-4a5f-bac2-950fed303ee9 (scored 11.46)
- Todd McShay on Keelon Russell: While breaking down LSU's offense, McShay called receiver Jackson Harris a top-50 NFL draft prospect, and later said LSU's Sam Levitt and Alabama's Keelan Russell are potential top-10 picks in a future draft. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/15d40546-2ab9-4ab8-b5bd-ed0ef7f26ae5 (scored 0)
- Philip Hughes on Kyle Kennard: Evaluating edge rusher Kyle Kennard ahead of the draft, the account projected them as a Day 2 selection. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/605a686a-b5f1-4611-82b4-961abf8de93e (scored 33.86)
- Charlie Campbell on Xavier Williams: Campbell's draft stock report projects Indiana WR Charlie Becker as a top-10 pick in 2027, Mississippi State CB Kelley Jones as a first-rounder, Tennessee DT Xavier Gilliam as a top-15 pick, and Texas OT Trevor Goosby as a top-10 pick, while suggesting Arch Manning could still be a first-rounder if they declare. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/2dd4bf46-e5eb-4dff-8500-95d9fdbd2986 (scored 0)
- Walt on Garrett Nussmeier: In a running series of coach/GM hiring and firing grades, Walt projects Fernando Mendoza as the No. 1 overall pick of the Raiders in the 2026 draft and has LSU's Garrett Nussmeier going No. 2 overall in their 2026 mock draft. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/29bb2d31-fbe3-40db-b378-be5ba5d990b0 (scored 0)
- Charlie Campbell on Xavier Williams: Reviewing Week 7 college games, Campbell projects a slate of draft outcomes: Tennessee's Xavier Gilliam as a top-15 pick in 2026, Alabama's Bray Hubbard as a Day 2 pick and Yhonzae Pierre as a potential first-rounder, Jeremiah Smith as one of the very first players drafted, Charlie Becker as a top-10 pick in the 2027 draft, Colin Simmons and Trevor Goosby as top-10 picks, and Jadan Baugh as a first-round pick. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/d2c00414-086d-4a40-bb69-7584be496742 (scored 0)

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Accuracy is 0-100 against what actually happened. The naive guess is what a strategy requiring no knowledge would have scored on the same call — the difference is the skill, and it is what the MissedTakes Score averages.

Full method: https://missedtakes.co/methodology

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