John Middlekauff· Apr 3, 2025
The former NFL scout says Cam Ward goes No. 1 overall to Tennessee, expects Miami to collapse to four or five wins and a top-four pick with Tyreek Hill possibly traded, sees the 49ers beating expectations at nine or ten wins, and likes the Patriots at eight or nine wins and the Chargers to clear their number.
“This guy's going the number one pick all because he transferred.”
said on air or in an interview · The Colin Cowherd Podcast (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.
8 checkable claims — 4 season win totals, 1 mock draft pick, 1 surprise team call, 1 team draft slot call and 1 trade and signing call — each graded on its own rather than as one all-or-nothing bet.
It names 7 players and teams, each linked to their own record.
5 of 8 have settled so far, averaging 60 out of 100, against 41 for a naive guess at the same calls.
Their call against what happened
winsTheir call against what actually happened.
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Who this take is about
8 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.
- Season Win TotalsSan Francisco 49ersApr 3, 2025
San Francisco 49ers to finish with 10 wins
“So I think the Niners probably more likely to win nine or ten games.”
Close · 60Scored 60a naive guess scored 5+110 skillHow this was scored
- team:
- SF
- naive:
- 7.25
- skill:
- 110
- what happened:
- 12
- season:
- 2025
- zero at:
- 5
- accuracy:
- 60
- baseline:
- 5
- predicted:
- 10
- difficulty:
- 2
- weeks in the season:
- 18
- weeks left when called:
- 18
- Season Win TotalsNew England PatriotsApr 3, 2025
New England Patriots to finish with 9 wins
“Why couldn't they go nine to eight this year?... I could see the Patriots winning eight or nine games.”
Miss · 0Scored 0a naive guess scored 0+0 skillHow this was scored
- team:
- NE
- naive:
- 6.25
- skill:
- 0
- what happened:
- 14
- season:
- 2025
- zero at:
- 5
- accuracy:
- 0
- baseline:
- 0
- predicted:
- 9
- difficulty:
- 2
- weeks in the season:
- 18
- weeks left when called:
- 18
- Season Win TotalsMiami DolphinsApr 3, 2025
Miami Dolphins to finish with 5 wins
“It would not shock me to see them struggle to win four or five games. I think they're going to be terrible.”
Close · 60Scored 60a naive guess scored 75-30 skillHow this was scored
- team:
- MIA
- naive:
- 8.25
- skill:
- -30
- what happened:
- 7
- season:
- 2025
- zero at:
- 5
- accuracy:
- 60
- baseline:
- 75
- predicted:
- 5
- difficulty:
- 2
- weeks in the season:
- 18
- weeks left when called:
- 18
- Mock Draft PicksCam WardTennessee TitansApr 3, 2025
Cam Ward to be picked at number 1
“I mean the Titans from what I've heard, I was in Nashville month ago, pretty good source. They've been dead set on him for like a month. This guy's going the number one pick”
Hit · 100Scored 100a naive guess scored 50How this was scored
- draft:
- 2025
- naive:
- a shuffled mock scores 50
- player:
- Cam Ward
- 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
- Season Win TotalsLos Angeles ChargersApr 3, 2025
Los Angeles Chargers to finish with 10 wins
“Well this year it's nine and a half... Why couldn't they win twelve games? I mean, they're over under right now is nine and a half. I think they are a lock.”
Hit · 80Scored 80a naive guess scored 75+10 skillHow this was scored
- team:
- LAC
- naive:
- 9.75
- skill:
- 10
- what happened:
- 11
- season:
- 2025
- zero at:
- 5
- accuracy:
- 80
- baseline:
- 75
- predicted:
- 10
- difficulty:
- 2
- weeks in the season:
- 18
- weeks left when called:
- 18
- Trade and Signing CallsTyreek HillApr 3, 2025
Tyreek Hill to move
“It would not surprise me at all if this Tyreek situation doesn't go away and he ends up playing for another team this year.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Team Draft Slot CallsMiami DolphinsApr 3, 2025
Miami Dolphins to pick “three or four”
“Maybe they don't have the number one overall pick, but I could see him being like the giants of the Patriots draft in three or four.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Surprise Team CallsSan Francisco 49ersApr 3, 2025
San Francisco 49ers to beat expectations
“I think a lot of people are gonna think they're gonna win like six or seven games. I think they're gonna be better than people think.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
What others said about the same people
- Steven RuizTrade and Signing Calls · A.J. BrownHit · 100Ruiz expects the Eagles to trade A.J. Brown once the June 1 dead-cap threshold passes, most likely to New England, and thinks Baker Mayfield will get a Buccaneers extension making him the league's highest-paid quarterback within a month or two. He also argues the Lions may have to let one or two of their 2023 draft class leave, and that Houston should extend C.J. Stroud.
- Mike TannenbaumTrade and Signing Calls · Stefon DiggsMiss · 0Tannenbaum argues the Chiefs should lean on the run game early while Mahomes recovers, says the Bills haven't done enough at receiver and would repeat their playoff shortcoming, expects AJ Brown to have a massive impact in New England, thinks George Pickens will earn a big raise, and offers free-agent fits: Deebo Samuel to Buffalo, Joey Bosa to Tampa Bay, Taylor Decker to Houston, and Stefon Diggs to San Francisco.
- Brandon CarneyTrade and Signing Calls · A.J. BrownHit · 100Carney drafted a team of rookies he expects to make an immediate fantasy impact (headlined by Karnell Tate and Makai Lemon), predicted landing spots for the remaining big-name free agents, and gave way-too-early division winners, wild cards and award picks — Patriots, Chargers, Bengals, Jaguars, Eagles, Rams, Vikings and Saints as division champs with Joe Burrow as MVP.
- Jeremy WhiteTrade and Signing Calls · A.J. BrownHit · 100Jeremy White expects the Patriots to acquire AJ Brown, calling the trade likely inevitable within about a month.
- Chris BrockmanTrade and Signing Calls · A.J. BrownHit · 100Brockman predicted only Stafford and Josh Allen of last year's MVP vote-getters get votes again, Fernando Mendoza starts and wins Rookie of the Year, the Colts win the AFC South, AJ Brown is traded to New England leaving DeVonta Smith as Philadelphia's clear No. 1 and a breakout star, five running backs top 1,600 yards, George Pickens breaks a Cowboys receiving record, and Justin Fields starts for Kansas City in September.
- Shannon SharpeTrade and Signing Calls · A.J. BrownHit · 100Sharpe predicted that A.J. Brown will be playing for New England once June 1 arrives.
More season win totals
The same kind of call, about other players and teams.
- Colin CowherdSeason Win Totals · Dallas CowboysHit · 100Cowherd projects the NFC East with the Giants winning the division ahead of Philadelphia, Washington and Dallas, pegging the Cowboys as a six- or seven-win team. He also expects Malik Willis to land a big free-agent deal, Kayvon Thibodeaux to be moved, and Baltimore to lose Isaiah Likely, and he floats the Rams reaching on Ty Simpson late in round one.
- Richard ShermanSeason Win Totals · Green Bay PackersClose · 40Sherman previewed every division: he picked Seattle to win the NFC West on a tiebreaker over San Francisco (both 11-11 wins), the Lions over the Packers in the North, the Eagles to run away with the East, Tampa Bay in the South, and Kansas City, Buffalo and the Ravens' division rivals in the AFC. He picked an Eagles–Chiefs Super Bowl with Philadelphia repeating, Joe Burrow for MVP, and gave a top-five power ranking.
- Nick WrightSeason Win Totals · Denver BroncosMiss · 20Nick Wright gave his early AFC win-total leans: overs on the Jets, Ravens, Jaguars, Chiefs and Raiders, plus projected win ranges for the Dolphins, Texans, Chargers and Broncos, and predicted the Raiders take Ashton Jeanty at No. 6.
- Richard ShermanSeason Win Totals · Detroit LionsHit · 100Sherman picks the Chiefs to beat the Bills in the AFC Championship Game despite Buffalo's turnover dominance, and picks the Commanders to upset the Eagles in Philadelphia in the NFC Championship Game. He also expects Saquon Barkley to win Offensive Player of the Year, though he hedges that voters may give it to Lamar or Josh Allen.
- Chris BrockmanSeason Win Totals · Carolina PanthersHit · 100Brockman pitched that the Eagles are the NFL's best team and that Saquon Barkley will win MVP as the first non-quarterback since 2011. He also declared the AFC playoff field already set with six weeks to go, said the Cowboys will make the playoffs, predicted Buffalo would blast the 49ers, and reiterated his earlier call that Carolina would win five or six games.
- JP AcostaSeason Win Totals · New York GiantsClose · 40Acosta expects John Harbaugh's Giants to jump to roughly seven wins in year one, and forecast several offseason moves: Aaron Rodgers returning to Pittsburgh, Daniel Jones returning to the Colts, Kirk Cousins being released by Atlanta, and Brandon Aiyuk leaving San Francisco.