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
- Richard ShermanGame Outcome Picks · Las Vegas RaidersHit · 100Sherman ran through the entire Week 2 slate with winners and several exact final scores, picking Seattle, San Francisco, Buffalo, Houston, Chicago, New England, Jacksonville, Dallas, Kansas City, the Rams, Green Bay, Baltimore, Philadelphia, Tampa Bay, Las Vegas and Carolina. He also called Fred Warner the league's best middle linebacker and floated Parker Washington as a top-five receiver.
- Fernando Alfaro-DonisTrade and Signing Calls · Kayshon BoutteMiss · 0Argues the Raiders' weakest spot is their receiver room, expects Jalen Nailor to take a big step forward in Klint Kubiak's scheme with Kirk Cousins starting before Fernando Mendoza takes over, and suggests Las Vegas should trade a mid-round pick for Patriots receiver Kayshon Boutte, who would immediately become their top option.
- Brandon CarneyTrade and Signing Calls · Stefon DiggsMiss · 0Carney 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.
- Nick ShookMock Draft Picks · Fernando MendozaHit · 100Shook walks through his full first-round mock draft, assigning a prospect to every pick from No. 1 to No. 32, headlined by Fernando Mendoza to the Raiders, David Bailey to the Jets and Jeremiah Love to the Cardinals in the top three.
- Chad Ochocinco JohnsonTrade and Signing Calls · George PickensMiss · 0Johnson predicted Ja'Marr Chase would go over 74.5 receiving yards against the Steelers, said the Bengals can beat Pittsburgh in a close, low-scoring game, and forecast that George Pickens will leave Dallas in free agency and sign with the Raiders.
- Richard ShermanSeason Win Totals · Las Vegas RaidersMiss · 0Sherman 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.
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.