Bruce Feldman· Feb 26, 2026
Feldman discussed Fernando Mendoza as the likely No. 1 overall pick to the Raiders, praised Kenyon Sadik and Sunny Styles as combine standouts, projected Ty Simpson as a late-first-round pick, and pegged Cole Peyton for the fourth-to-fifth round range.
“I think that kind of resiliency and that mental focus that does bode well if he's going to be the first pick of the draft with the Raiders.”
said on air or in an interview · The Herd with Colin Cowherd (podcast) · read the original →
The page this came from has changed since we captured it on Aug 5, 2026. The quote and evidence above are from our capture, not from what the page says today.
6 checkable claims — 3 combine measurements and 3 mock draft picks — each graded on its own rather than as one all-or-nothing bet.
It names 5 players and teams, each linked to their own record.
4 of 6 have settled so far, averaging 100 out of 100, against 43.4 for a naive guess at the same calls.
Of the 1 unsettled call enough other pundits have weighed in on, this one lands below the rest of the room.
Where do you stand? Pick this and every open claim on Picks →
Who this take is about
6 checkable claims in this take
Each one is scored on its own against the published methodology. A pundit naming several outcomes is graded on each, not on all-or-nothing.
- Combine MeasurementsCole PaytonFeb 26, 2026
Cole Payton to post vertical jump around forty inches at the combine
“he made vertical jump around forty. Inches”
Hit · 100Scored 100a naive guess scored 23.78+76.22 skillHow this was scored
- off:
- 0
- drill:
- vertical in
- naive:
- the average QB (32.8, from 59 results)
- scale:
- credit halves every 3.48 — one standard deviation for a QB
- skill:
- 76.22
- player:
- Cole Payton
- result:
- 40
- season:
- 2025
- combine year:
- 2026
- accuracy:
- 100
- baseline:
- 23.78
- predicted:
- 40
- sigmas out:
- 0
- difficulty:
- 1
- weeks in the season:
- 18
- weeks left when called:
- 0
Combine results via Pro-Football-Reference.com.
- Mock Draft PicksCole PaytonFeb 26, 2026
Cole Payton to be picked “maybe he'll be in the fifth or a fourth fifth round range” (picks 101–181)
“BUT i think you'll See Cole payton end. Up maybe he'll be in the fifth or a fourth fifth round. Range”
Hit · 100Scored 100a naive guess scored 50How this was scored
- draft:
- 2026
- naive:
- a shuffled mock scores 50
- player:
- Cole Payton
- season:
- 2025
- zero at:
- 32
- accuracy:
- 100
- baseline:
- 50
- actual pick:
- 178
- difficulty:
- 1
- weeks in the season:
- 18
- pick accuracy:
- 100
- predicted pick:
- maybe he'll be in the fifth or a fourth fifth round range (picks 101–181)
- weeks left when called:
- 0
- mock ordering score:
- only one pick — no order to score
- Mock Draft PicksTy SimpsonFeb 26, 2026
Ty Simpson to be picked “somewhere later in the first round” (picks 1–32)
“BUT i think somewhere later in the first, round as somebody sits there and, goes you know, what we can work with him and develop him”
Hit · 100Scored 100a naive guess scored 50How this was scored
- draft:
- 2026
- naive:
- a shuffled mock scores 50
- player:
- Ty Simpson
- season:
- 2025
- zero at:
- 32
- accuracy:
- 100
- baseline:
- 50
- actual pick:
- 13
- difficulty:
- 1
- weeks in the season:
- 18
- pick accuracy:
- 100
- predicted pick:
- somewhere later in the first round (picks 1–32)
- weeks left when called:
- 0
- mock ordering score:
- only one pick — no order to score
Fernando Mendoza to be picked at number 1
“that does bode well if he's going to be the first pick of the draft with the Raiders.”
Hit · 100Scored 100a naive guess scored 50How this was scored
- draft:
- 2026
- naive:
- a shuffled mock scores 50
- player:
- Fernando Mendoza
- season:
- 2025
- zero at:
- 32
- accuracy:
- 100
- baseline:
- 50
- actual pick:
- 1
- difficulty:
- 1
- weeks in the season:
- 18
- pick accuracy:
- 100
- predicted pick:
- 1
- weeks left when called:
- 0
- mock ordering score:
- only one pick — no order to score
- Combine MeasurementsSonny StylesFeb 26, 2026
Sonny Styles to post gonna broad jump eleven feet at the combine
“he's a guy gonna broad jump eleven, feet a guy's gonna vertical jump over. Forty”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Combine MeasurementsSonny StylesFeb 26, 2026
Sonny Styles to post vertical jump over forty at the combine
“a guy's gonna vertical jump over. Forty”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
What others said about the same people
- Steven RuizGame Outcome Picks · Las Vegas RaidersHit · 100Previewing Week 3, Ruiz picked the Ravens to beat the Cowboys in Brazil, Jacksonville over New England in a low-scoring game, an upset by the Broncos over the Rams, the Raiders over the Saints, the Eagles over the Bears, the Lions over the Jets, and his Hail Mary that Houston beats Indianapolis by two touchdowns.
- Nate TiceGame Outcome Picks · Las Vegas RaidersHit · 100Tice matched his guest on every Week 3 game, picking the Ravens over the Cowboys, the Jaguars over the Patriots in a close game, the Broncos to upset the Rams, the Raiders over the Saints, the Eagles over the Bears and the Lions over the Jets.
- Chris BroussardGame Outcome Picks · Las Vegas RaidersHit · 100Broussard picked the Bills to beat the Chargers in a competitive, higher-scoring game, said the Chiefs will rout the Dolphins, and for upset alert parlayed the Patriots over the Jaguars and the Raiders over the Saints. He also restated his Cowboys-versus-Ravens Super Bowl matchup pick.
- Jeff KerrRoster Spot Calls · Cole PaytonHit · 100Kerr ranks the Eagles' 2025 draft picks by cut risk, predicting seventh-rounders Keyshawn James-Newby and Cole Wisniewski land on the practice squad, while Cole Payton, Uar Bernard, Makai Lemon, Eli Stowers and Markel Bell make the 53. He also says Lemon starts Week 1 and Bell is the right tackle of the future.
- David HarrisonRoster Spot Calls · Sonny StylesHit · 100Harrison gives his initial 53-man roster projection for the Washington Commanders: three quarterbacks including Ethan Kalyak Manus, three running backs, four tight ends, six receivers (leaving off De'Ami Brown and Jaden Bradley), nine offensive linemen with Matt Goldman at center, and a defense of six linebackers but only four cornerbacks. He also projects Tunstall and Newton going to IR on Monday with De'Ami Brown and Dietrich Wise re-signed, plus a corner-heavy practice squad.
- David HarrisonRoster Spot Calls · Sonny StylesHit · 100Harrison projects the Washington Commanders' initial 53-man roster if it had to be set today, naming 26 offensive players, three specialists and 24 defenders, and also assigns depth-chart slots at quarterback, running back, the offensive line, the interior defensive line, and the return/specialist jobs.
More combine measurements
The same kind of call, about other players and teams.
- Field YatesCombine Measurements · Brenen ThompsonClose · 67Yates pegged David Bailey as a top-four pick, called Jeremiah Love clearly the best running back in the class with a draft range from No. 3 overall to the Chiefs at No. 9, put Karnell Tate atop his receiver board, projected Jordan Tyson as a top-15 pick, and expected Brennan Thompson to run in the 4.2s. He also sees both Miami's Mauigoa and Utah's Spencer Fano taken inside the top 15, with Mauigoa having a chance to be the first offensive lineman off the board.
- James HarrisonCombine Measurements · Zachariah BranchMiss · 0The co-host known as Debo, who identifies himself as James Harrison, predicts Caleb Downs runs in the 4.42-4.43 range at the combine and rides the under on Zachariah Branch's 40 time, citing Branch's high school speed.
- Daniel JeremiahCombine Measurements · Justin JeffersonMiss · 27On Move the Sticks, Daniel Jeremiah gave his views on the 2026 draft class: he set his board (Jeremiah Love as the second-best player, Malinoi 12th, Fano 14th), ranked the top edge rushers Bailey-Reese-Bain, projected draft ranges for several prospects, and forecast measurables for a few players.
- Ayrton OstleyCombine Measurements · Gabe JacasHit · 100Ostley predicts Mississippi State receiver Brandon/Brennan Thompson runs the fastest 40-yard dash at the combine, expects Mac Jones to be traded to the Vikings, and offers combine performance expectations for several prospects.
- nthony Darelle "Booger" McFarlandCombine Measurements · Arvell ReeseHit · 100McFarland projected Ohio State's Arbel Reese to measure in at roughly 6-4 and 240-245 pounds at the combine, and argued Cincinnati and Trey Hendrickson will go their separate ways this offseason.
- Albert BreerCombine Measurements · Kenyon SadiqClose · 65Breer says he would be stunned if Fernando Mendoza did not go No. 1 overall to the Raiders, and he flags Oregon tight end Kenyon Sadiq as a combine standout who could run in the 4.3s and jump 40 inches.