The Herd with Colin Cowherd — Hour 2, February 24, 2026

Podcast: The Herd with Colin Cowherd
Host: Colin Cowherd
Guests: Joel Klatt, J. Mac
Key Topics: NFL Mock Drafts, Victor Wembanyama’s NBA emergence, Joel Klatt on the college football coaching landscape

Overview

In this episode, Colin Cowherd is joined by Joel Klatt for a wide-ranging discussion on the rapidly shifting dynamics in college football, analysis on NFL mock drafts, and a breakdown of current NBA narratives—particularly Victor Wembanyama's ascent. The episode navigates changes in NCAA talent distribution (notably the Big Ten's rise), evaluates top college football coaches, and debates pivotal NFL roster moves. The tone is candid and analytical, as is typical of The Herd.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Victor Wembanyama: The Face of the NBA?

[03:50–07:58] Colin Cowherd

• Colin’s Take: The NBA doesn’t always need a singular "face," but Wemby is setting himself apart in ways only legends like Magic, MJ, LeBron, and Steph have.
• Last Night’s Game: Despite struggling offensively (3-for-12 through three quarters), Wembanyama dominated in other facets: “17 rebounds, six blocks, four assists, didn’t really score until late and dominated the game.” (Colin, 05:15)
• Wemby’s Multifaceted Impact: He “separat[es] from almost every player in the league not named Jokic. … These other guys, they can’t dominate a game and not have the ball in their hands.” (Colin, 06:40)
• Notable Quote: “It is crazy how he can not score and totally control a game.” (Colin, 08:01)
• Wemby's on-court interview: “Everybody got to eat tonight, you know, because we were so connected and because we were trying to fight against the wall the whole game.” (Wembanyama, paraphrased by Colin, 07:08)

2. Shifts in College Football: Big Ten Ascendancy, SEC’s Changing Role

[08:05–10:25] Colin & Joel Klatt

• NFL Mock Drafts Show a Change: Daniel Jeremiah’s mock draft has only two SEC players in the first 20 picks—a sign of shifting power, with Miami and Big Ten schools dominating.
• Klatt’s Perspective: “Even in my mock 1.0, I had 10 players from the Big Ten in the first round and only nine from the SEC… That’s obviously a vast difference than what we saw in the late 2000s.” (Joel, 09:39)
• Key Insight: It’s not just skill positions—“the best skill [players] are sitting outside of that [SEC] footprint, which is something that we haven’t seen in a long time.” (Joel, 10:23)
• Colin's Emphasis: The transfer portal and NIL have completely upended traditional conference dominance.

3. Breaking Down Top College QB Prospects: Fernando Mendoza

[10:26–13:53] Colin & Joel Klatt

• Colin: Mendoza is a difference-maker; Indiana wouldn’t have beaten Miami, Ohio State, or Penn State without him.
• Klatt: “Does he translate regardless of fit? ... The last [QB] I remember like that was Andrew Luck... Mendoza doesn’t quite cross that line, which is fine.” (Joel, 11:24–11:40)
• On Mendoza’s Strengths: “Every single quarterback that has to go and win a Super Bowl ... has to own the game from the pocket. … When you look at Mendoza … late in the game, late in the down sequence, making throws from the pocket.” (Joel, 12:10–12:48)
• Notable Quote: “For those two reasons—owning it from the pocket in big moments and being an anticipatory leverage thrower—I think that this guy is... absolutely going to succeed in the National Football League.” (Joel, 13:40)

4. College Football Head Coaches: Rankings, Challenges, and Debate

[13:54–26:10] Colin, Joel Klatt, and J. Mac

Klatt’s Top 10 Coaches List Sparks Debate

• Controversy: Putting BYU’s Kalani Sitake at #8 “almost made me fall out of my chair” (J. Mac, 22:03)
• Colin’s Defense: “Sometimes with BYU, he’s been a home run.” (Colin, 22:20)
• On Lane Kiffin (#10): "Leans into social media and... when he left Ole Miss, they were still very good." (Colin, 13:56)
• On Steve Sarkisian (#6):
  • Criticized for close-game “wackiness”.
  • Klatt responds: “Why wasn’t Texas Texas before Steve Sarkisian got there?... I could make the argument he should be higher than six because he’s one of the best game day, game planning, playcallers in college football.” (Joel, 15:23)
  • Sark is “the most difficult ranking”
  • "My next three, Dan Lanning, Marcus Freeman, Steve Sarkisian, those are the guys I would bet on most likely to win a national championship in the next two or three years." (Joel, 17:14)
• On Dabo Swinney and Transfer Portal:
  • “Dabo is doing it like I get in a swimming pool... tiptoeing in.” (Joel, 17:35)
• The Glamour Program Theory: Texas, USC, and Miami are "glamour programs"—unique challenges from too many power brokers and enticing city distractions. (Colin, 18:00–19:27)
• Program Leadership: “It took Steve Sarkisian, a strong leader, to be the adult in the room amongst all the people striving for power at those places.” (Joel, 20:06)

Reactions & Re-Ranking

• Kirby Smart’s Challenges (Nil defection):
  • “People think Georgia… big money in Atlanta, but pro sports run the city. They’ve lost a lot of players.” (Colin, 24:32)
• Final Hiring Preferences:
  • “If I was going to hire a coach, Freeman would be number one and then the rest of them would get in line.” (Colin, 25:53)

5. NFL Hot Topics: Max Crosby’s Future & Team-Building Philosophy

[31:24–35:59] Colin & J. Mac

• Should the Raiders Trade Max Crosby?
  • J. Mac: “If I can get two ones or a one and a two for Crosby, I’m taking it and running… You’re not winning anything with Max Crosby.”
  • Colin rebuts: “You don’t get rid of somebody. Even quarterback is reliant on protection and coaching and weapons and a run game. Don’t conflate two different issues: ‘They’re not winning—let’s get rid of Max.’ No, they’re not winning, and Max is easily their best player. You’re in the business of drafting, developing, and paying stars. Why would I let the second best pass rusher in the league go?” (Colin, 34:53)
  • Draft Pick Philosophy: GMs say “you don’t want that many draft picks. I want more great players.” (Colin, 34:54)
• Roster Construction Analogy: “It’s like when you go to a bar… If you talk to 15 girls, you might get three or four numbers… It’s the same deal with the draft.” (J. Mac, 33:35)

6. NBA & NFL Player Opinions: SGA vs. Luka, Tyreek Hill Rumors

[36:19–40:12] J. Mac & Colin

• Tyreek Hill to the Chiefs?
  • Honey Badger’s Take: “I think given what the Chiefs have sort of experienced the last three years at the wide receiver position, [Tyreek Hill] may be the next best teacher for them.”
• Chris Paul on Best NBA Point Guard:
  • Chris Paul: “Shai [Gilgeous-Alexander].”
  • Why? “Your teammates just want to see that the stars actually try on defense. … I got a lot of respect for Steph, Shai, and all these guys who at least try…” (Chris Paul, paraphrased, 37:34–38:22)
  • Colin: Finally, players are openly valuing defensive effort over just offensive flash.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “It is crazy how [Wemby] can not score and totally control a game.” — Colin Cowherd (08:01)
• “The last [QB] I can remember that was above the X’s and O’s was Andrew Luck... Mendoza doesn’t quite cross that line, which is fine.” — Joel Klatt (11:34)
• “You’re in the business of drafting, developing, and paying stars. Why would I let the second best pass rusher in the league go?” — Colin Cowherd (34:54)
• “He is a leverage thrower. The best quarterbacks never throw 50/50 balls.” — Joel Klatt on Mendoza (12:34)
• “Dabo is doing it like I get in a swimming pool… tiptoeing in.” — Joel Klatt on Dabo Swinney’s transfer portal reluctance (17:35)
• “If I was going to hire a coach, Freeman would be number one.” — Colin Cowherd (25:53)

Segment Timestamps

• [03:50] — Victor Wembanyama's rise and NBA 'face' discussion
• [08:05] — Mock Drafts reveal college football’s shifting power
• [10:26] — Evaluating Fernando Mendoza as a pro QB prospect
• [13:54] — Deep-dive into Klatt’s College Football Coaches list
• [22:03] — Debate: Was BYU’s coach too high? Dabo, Signetti, Kalani Sitake scrutiny
• [31:24] — NFL: Should the Raiders move on from Max Crosby?
• [36:19] — NFL: Tyreek Hill/Chiefs rumors, NBA: Chris Paul’s point guard take

Tone and Takeaways

Colin and his guests were at their most forthright—challenging prevailing sports narratives, pushing back on hot-take culture, and giving substantive, stats-backed arguments on why certain coaches and players are (or aren’t) difference-makers at the highest level. The episode pivots smoothly between leagues, with plenty of banter and a brisk pace.

For fans:
This hour is packed with useful insights on both NFL and NCAA football talent landscapes, context on how player movement is rewriting league hierarchies, and honest debate about what makes players (and coaches) not just talented—but transcendent.

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