The Herd with Colin Cowherd – Best of the Herd

Date: April 8, 2026
Podcast: iHeartPodcasts and The Volume
Host: Colin Cowherd

Episode Overview

This "Best of The Herd" episode features Colin Cowherd's signature sharp analysis and bold opinions on the day’s hottest sports topics, with a deep dive into NFL draft strategies, team-building philosophies, and the evolving landscape of both the NFL and NBA. Highlights include in-depth conversations about the New York Jets' draft approach, the balance of power between NFL coaches and general managers, NBA draft trends, and an engaging interview with Michigan head coach Dusty May coming off a national championship.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. NFL Draft, Edge Rushers & Team Building

• Edge Rusher Draft Debate:
  Colin discusses the strengths of this year’s NFL draft class, focusing on three edge rushers:

  • Arvell Reese (Ohio State): High ceiling, uncertain position.
  • David Bailey: The "safe pick," plug-and-play, high floor.
  • Reuben Bain: Undervalued due to measurables but viewed as a potential star.
  • Colin's advice for the Jets:
    • “What the jets can't do with number two is have another bust or somebody they can't figure out because they already had two of those with Zach Wilson and Makai Becton.” (06:40)
    • Advocates for stability: “Sometimes I like just being comfortable. Okay. Edge rushers, and I love them, do not win Super Bowls … You got to get three things right in this league to win Super Bowls. Head coach, quarterback and above average left tackle.” (04:45)

• Risk vs. Safe Picks:

  • Colin likens draft strategy to investing: “Just go get a really good football player. This idea that you can't hit doubles in life. Why not?” (07:11)
  • Daniel Jeremiah echoes this, advocating for “doubles off the wall all day long… We can't afford to miss in the first round.” (07:51)

• Draft Trends:

  • Stats on dominant pass rushers: Max Crosby, Myles Garrett, and T.J. Watt have a 1-8 playoff record (08:25), reinforcing Colin’s view that building around 'elite' edge players isn’t a Super Bowl formula.

2. The Power Dynamic: Coaches vs. General Managers in the NFL

• John Harbaugh’s Power at the Giants:

  • The episode explores the Giants’ new coach John Harbaugh’s authority relative to GM Joe Schoen:
    • “The relationship is John Harbaugh calls the shots... It’s John’s organization, and that’s the only way he was going to take that job.” (11:35)
    • NFL trend: In many organizations, “There are very few powerful GMs… Head coaches drive personnel decisions.”

• Sean Payton, McVay, and Coach-Led Decisions:

  • Examples are given of coaches overruling GMs—Sean Payton with Denver, Sean McVay in LA.
  • “If college head coaches... can run all his personnel, what the NFL guys are saying is college guys are doing it. I’ve been in the league 15 years. I want some say on this stuff.” (12:52)

• Notable Quote:

  • On power struggles: “It worked because they were all great at their job. Phil [Jackson], Riley, and West. Great at their job.” (27:56, regarding Lakers leadership)

3. The Evolution of NBA Draft Evaluations

• Skill Over Athleticism:

  • Shifts in the NBA draft: Colin argues “it’s a skill shooting scheme league” where decision-making and versatility outweigh sheer explosiveness (19:29).
  • “The most explosive guys in league history... they don’t end up with rings. They win slam dunk contests. They’re our favorite players. But they, they, they... And again MJ and Kobe. Absolutely... But I have a hard time... seeing [Axel Lenneborg] as a bust.” (21:30)

• Player Focus: Yaxel Lenneborg

  • Projected as a versatile, non-explosive but high-IQ player who fits the modern NBA.
  • Comparison to Jokic, Luka, SGA, and Steph Curry for their intelligence and shooting over explosiveness.

4. Chicago Bulls, Billy Donovan, and Front-Office Philosophy

• Donovan’s Value:
  • With the Bulls firing their GM and retaining Billy Donovan, Colin discusses breaking the supposed hierarchy in sports organizations.
    • “If the GM doesn’t understand how good he is, then we’re not hiring him.” (26:24, quoting Jerry Reinsdorf)
    • Colin pushes back on strict organizational order: “For every company in the country, why do I always have to go in order?... What if you love #2, #3, and #4?” (28:41)
  • Colin theorizes Donovan leveraged a UNC job offer to force change in the Bulls’ front office.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “Edge rushers... do not win Super Bowls… You got to get three things right in this league to win Super Bowls. Head coach, quarterback and above average left tackle.”
  — Colin Cowherd (04:45)

• “We’ll live with doubles off the wall all day long… We can’t afford to miss in the first round.”
  — Daniel Jeremiah (07:51)

• “In a lot of instances, McVay has a very good eye for talent. Sean Payton has a good eye for talent. I would rather have a GM make I would rather it go in order, ideally, but that’s not what’s happening with the New York Giants...”
  — Colin Cowherd (12:44)

• “Vince Carter, no rings, never NBA all first team is the definition of explosive. And I love Vince. Nice guy, great player, no first team, all NBA.”
  — Colin Cowherd (20:33)

In-Depth Guest Interview: Dusty May (Michigan Head Coach)

[31:38] - [40:13]

• On the National Championship Game:

  • “Best teams in college basketball, they know how to foul legally… I think both teams were playing with great physicality, and I thought their game plan was an A+…”
    — Dusty May (32:15)

• On Officiating:

  • “It was a great crew… They would let you vent when you’re frustrated. I thought they did a great job.”
    — Dusty May (32:57)

• On Yaxel Lenneborg’s NBA Potential:

  • “The processing power is his strength. I don’t know if I’ve ever been around someone that can learn things on the fly and be able to change his move or his body contortion based on something he saw a month ago…”
    — Dusty May (34:00)

• On the Realities of the Transfer Portal Era:

  • “We finished the game... got back to the hotel at 2am… I think I slept an hour and got up and did the whole morning show circuit… These next two weeks are our Super Bowl.”
    — Dusty May (35:12)

• On Adai Mara’s Emergence:

  • “He wasn’t playing very well. So it just took him some time of us playing him through mistakes… and then he just gradually got better throughout the season.”
    — Dusty May (37:10)

Colin's NFL Playoff Forecast: Top-5 Draft Teams

[40:55]

• Seven consecutive years a team picking in the top five has made the playoffs the following season.
• This year’s top five: Las Vegas, Jets, Arizona, Titans, Giants.
• Colin’s analysis eliminates the Jets, Cardinals, and Raiders, identifying the Giants as a likely playoff team due to their “roster almost there,” schedule, and returning talent.
  • “The Giants have nine wins on this schedule… I think the Giants are an eight or nine-win team.” (44:30)
  • Supports head coach John Harbaugh’s team approach: “The best team is the team that plays the best.” — John Harbaugh (45:27)

Section Timestamps

• NFL Draft Philosophy, Jets/Edge Rushers: 03:16 – 08:25
• NFL Power Structures (Giants/Harbaugh/GMs): 08:25 – 14:00
• NBA Draft Trends & Player Evaluation: 19:03 – 22:51
• Chicago Bulls Front Office & Billy Donovan: 26:01 – 31:33
• Interview: Dusty May (Michigan HC): 31:38 – 40:13
• NFL Playoff Prediction (Draft Teams): 40:55 – 45:51
• Notable Quotes & Guest Audio: Throughout, see above

Conclusion

This episode features Colin Cowherd at his analytical and provocative best, drawing lessons from NFL and NBA draft strategies and organizational dynamics. Key themes include prudent team-building, the evolving power of head coaches, the value of intelligence and process in modern NBA prospects, and the volatility of today’s college basketball scene. The interview with Dusty May highlights the realities for national champions in the new transfer-portal era, and Cowherd’s trademark blend of insight and entertainment makes for a compelling summary of April’s sports landscape.