# 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.thegoodapps.co/pundits/bruce-feldman **Outlet:** The Herd with Colin Cowherd (podcast) — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.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.thegoodapps.co/nfl/players/cole-payton - Ty Simpson — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/players/ty-simpson - Fernando Mendoza — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/players/fernando-mendoza - Las Vegas Raiders — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/teams/raiders - Sonny Styles — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/players/sonny-styles ## What others said about the same people - Richard Sherman on Las Vegas Raiders: Sherman 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. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/8a2c5da4-3fba-43d7-82eb-dc25b81f245e (scored 100) - Fernando Alfaro-Donis on Kayshon Boutte: Argues 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. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/b988191f-a153-4f4b-a1b8-7b5a7a18265c (scored 0) - Brandon Carney on Stefon Diggs: Carney 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. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/c4d477da-4fb8-4a25-a904-c5057a249a70 (scored 0) - Nick Shook on Fernando Mendoza: Shook 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. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/7d4209aa-2e2d-47a2-b6e5-791d16d209cb (scored 100) - Chad Ochocinco Johnson on George Pickens: Johnson 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. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/840ff222-e013-4906-9c15-ce6172f300f0 (scored 0) - Richard Sherman on Las Vegas Raiders: Sherman 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. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/ec43b02b-8e3a-4b2e-8c36-1839c9c52e3c (scored 0) ## 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.thegoodapps.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.thegoodapps.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.thegoodapps.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.thegoodapps.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.thegoodapps.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.thegoodapps.co/opinions/5bed1867-11b9-4207-8dbf-27350a1ae00c (scored 64.56) --- 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.thegoodapps.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: https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/corrections?pundit=bruce-feldman