# Bruce Feldman: 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.

**Claimed:** Feb 26, 2026
**Pundit:** Bruce Feldman — https://missedtakes.co/pundits/bruce-feldman
**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-3-live-from-the-nfl-combine

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.

> 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.

*(their words, quoted for attribution)*

## The claims

- **Cole Payton to post vertical jump around forty inches at the combine**
  - Kind: Combine Measurements · About: Cole Payton
  - Verdict: scored 100 out of 100, against 23.78 for a naive guess
- **Cole Payton to be picked “maybe he'll be in the fifth or a fourth fifth round range” (picks 101–181)**
  - Kind: Mock Draft Picks · About: Cole Payton
  - Verdict: scored 100 out of 100, against 50 for a naive guess
- **Ty Simpson to be picked “somewhere later in the first round” (picks 1–32)**
  - Kind: Mock Draft Picks · About: Ty Simpson
  - Verdict: scored 100 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
- **Sonny Styles to post gonna broad jump eleven feet at the combine**
  - Kind: Combine Measurements · About: Sonny Styles
  - Verdict: not settled yet
- **Sonny Styles to post vertical jump over forty at the combine**
  - Kind: Combine Measurements · About: Sonny Styles
  - Verdict: not settled yet

## Who this take is about

- Cole Payton — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/cole-payton
- Ty Simpson — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/ty-simpson
- Fernando Mendoza — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/fernando-mendoza
- Las Vegas Raiders — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/raiders
- Sonny Styles — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/sonny-styles

## What others said about the same people

- Steven Ruiz on Las Vegas Raiders: Previewing 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. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/a30ff469-4972-4c48-855b-ba984e4de9d0 (scored 100)
- Nate Tice on Las Vegas Raiders: Tice 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. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/b8378e16-ea5c-4107-a883-28aaf0e71134 (scored 100)
- Chris Broussard on Las Vegas Raiders: Broussard 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. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/dee7585c-6da6-4afc-9954-ff32cf8de4e3 (scored 100)
- Jeff Kerr on Cole Payton: Kerr 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. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/ae8f39f7-dab8-4908-a53e-e3401a7c8bee (scored 100)
- David Harrison on Sonny Styles: Harrison 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. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/1d5b2565-5531-47ac-bff8-ccb9b23a980a (scored 100)
- David Harrison on Sonny Styles: Harrison 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. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/2e2254ee-daf7-4f82-81d4-2bc73e1b7291 (scored 100)

## More combine measurements

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

- Field Yates on Brenen Thompson: Yates 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. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/3ac28f94-72fb-46e5-81e3-b524c7c7b841 (scored 67.27)
- James Harrison on Zachariah Branch: The 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. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/862be8d2-12cf-4292-95b0-c2886395e6c2 (scored 0)
- Daniel Jeremiah on Justin Jefferson: On 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. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/bc772155-d332-4aba-a4c3-a99caa325a2f (scored 27.41)
- Ayrton Ostley on Gabe Jacas: Ostley 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. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/149c742e-7b2f-4669-9803-c1936efe4f66 (scored 100)
- nthony Darelle "Booger" McFarland on Arvell Reese: McFarland 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. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/c01c6b3d-b24f-4074-b082-e5b10055c15f (scored 100)
- Albert Breer on Kenyon Sadiq: Breer 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. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/5bed1867-11b9-4207-8dbf-27350a1ae00c (scored 64.56)

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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

We summarize what a pundit said and quote a short span for attribution; we never republish their article. If this is wrong, tell us:
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