The Herd with Colin Cowherd – Hour 2 – March 2, 2026
Episode Summary

Episode Overview

This episode of The Herd is all about NFL quarterbacks – assessing draft prospects, debating controversial veterans, and reviewing the ever-shifting landscape of NFL team priorities. Colin Cowherd and Jason McIntyre dig deep into the NFL Combine, headline the “Where Colin Was Right/Where Colin Was Wrong” segment, and go on-air with former NFL quarterback Matt Hasselbeck for firsthand insights. The discussion covers standout QBs like Fernando Mendoza, Ty Simpson, and Diego Pavia, as well as the broader quarterback market (Kyler Murray, Malik Willis). The episode is rich with behind-the-scenes anecdotes, frank evaluations, and memorable moments relevant for any NFL fan.

Where Colin Was Right / Where Colin Was Wrong

[02:17 – 09:02]

RIGHT:

• LeBron’s Time with Lakers Should End: Citing Byron Scott’s agreement, Colin says LeBron’s physical limitations no longer fit the Lakers’ needs:
  • "LeBron is now the second slowest player in the NBA, which would be fine if he was surrounded by a young, athletic defensive squad. But he can't assist to hide LeBron's fatal flaw which is conditioning and bad defense." [03:18]
• Vikings Looking Beyond J.J. McCarthy:
  • The Vikings’ reported interest in Anthony Richardson and Tua signals doubts about McCarthy: "This shows a clear sign publicly that they've got concerns about J.J. McCarthy." [04:26]
• Acknowledgement of Luka Doncic’s Flaws:
  • "The public and the media is acknowledging, oh, Luka Doncic isn't a perfect player." [05:26]
• Steph Curry’s Plight with the Warriors:
  • Praising Curry but lamenting the roster: "Fall in love with your kids. Fall in like with your superstars...this roster is brutal." [06:15]
• Malik Willis Has a Market: Citing recent reports, Colin reads Willis’s growing free agency stock as validation:
  • "The Jets, Cardinals and Miami Dolphins are going to be options for Malik Willis...There’s something here with Willis." [07:35]

WRONG:

• Knicks’ Ceiling:
  • "I think the Knicks have a low ceiling, but they're fun to watch.... They forced Wemby into seven turnovers." [03:45]
• Chiefs as Betting Favorites for Tyreek Hill Return:
  • Skeptical of rumors, Colin says, "I don't get it. Been there and done that... injury concerns and maturity off field issues and doesn't that kind of sum up what the Chiefs are already dealing with[?]" [05:05]
• Kyler Murray’s Star Power:
  • "I always defended Kyler Murray and the Cardinals...But there are commitment issues, there are health issues. And the truth is, seven years in, they made the playoffs once." [05:57]

Notable Quote:
"The idea that you could have gotten Baker for 4 million bucks three years ago, and now Malik Willis is going to make $30 million a year in free agency shows you how fast things change." – Jason McIntyre [08:56]

NFL Combine: QB Deep Dive with Matt Hasselbeck

[09:02 – 22:59]

Fernando Mendoza: The “It” Factor

[09:32 – 12:12]

• Hasselbeck shares a vivid story of Mendoza’s growing profile at the Combine: "The entire wait staff gets called up and said, hey, everybody up. We're gonna give him a standing ovation… I had no idea. Is it like, Roger Goodell?... And it was Fernando Mendoza." [09:32]
• On Mendoza’s authenticity:
  • "One of the first things he said to me, he said, I know I’m a goober...embrace it. Like, it’s really endearing. Just be authentic. And I think that’s what in the locker room plays really well." [10:13]
• On his size and presence:
  • "I’m 6’4” on the dot. He measured in at 6’4, 6. He looks much bigger than that… Guys definitely gravitated towards him." [11:03]
• Mendoza’s background/favorite player:
  • "Grew up in Miami loving the New England Patriots. Tom Brady was my favorite quarterback." [11:37]

Ty Simpson: Steady and Understated

[12:12 – 13:27]

• Not a physical “wow” guy, but impresses with intangibles: "He doesn't necessarily wow you with the physical traits...but I don't care about that. One of my favorite quarterbacks is Brock Purdy." [12:38]
• "It would not surprise me if Ty Simpson's a first round pick. His film, again, is excellent." [12:56]

Under-the-Radar QBs

[13:27 – 15:56]

• Luke Altmire (Illinois) singled out: "I don’t hear a lot of people talking about, but he was very impressive, very smooth...accurate, on time, great decisions." [14:20]
• Scouts were drawn to Altmire: "I had at least one coach tell me, hey, we were supposed to study 100 plays on each guy and write a report. I looked up and I was on, like, play 340, because I just love watching this guy play." [14:40]

Diego Pavia: The Johnny Manziel Disciple

[15:56 – 18:35]

• Personality concerns (mentor is Johnny Manziel), but Hasselbeck argues for the value of learning from “flawed” mentors:
  • "I learned so much from Jeff George, mostly from some of the mistakes that he had been through...I don’t actually think it’s a terrible thing at all that Diego is maybe learning from Johnny Manziel. As long as it’s that same kind of thing, like, hey man, you don’t have to do what I did and here's why." [17:49–18:01]

Combine Culture & Assessment

[18:35 – 20:47]

• Insights on how NFL veterans and legends mentor rookies at the Combine, the “vibe factor,” and the difficulty in faking leadership across five days of testing.
  • "It’s a dream come true for these guys. It’s a job interview. It’s something they’ll do once in their life." [19:17]

Kyler Murray: Would You Roll the Dice?

[20:47 – 22:37]

• McIntyre asks if now-humbled Kyler Murray is a worthy reclamation project.
  • Hasselbeck: "He’s got elite traits...throws a beautiful, beautiful ball. It’s some of the leadership stuff, though. It’s the body language...Now that is something that people at least wonder about. So, like, you’re gonna have to prove that that is not a thing." [21:25]
  • Argues growth is possible: "Maybe there are these, you know, reclamation projects. Guys like Sam Darnold and Baker Mayfield, who really turned the corner, struggled early, turned the corner." [21:50]

Notable Quote:
"Maybe just matured, you know? I know [I was a] way more immature player early in my career than I was late. And I know I was a better teammate at, you know, near the end of my career." – Matt Hasselbeck [21:36]

NFL Headlines & Draft Prospect Buzz

[27:27 – 50:21]

Ben Johnson’s Chicago Arrival

• New Bears coach earns local admiration and stokes rivalry:
  • "The Bears and the Packers, they should not like each other. I think it’s as simple as that." [27:56]
  • Ben Johnson gets a standing ovation at the Bulls game. [28:02]

Kenyon Sadiq: The TE Physical Freak

• Oregon tight end stuns at Combine, fastest 40 ever for a TE (4.39):
  • "He looked more like a big receiver than he did a tight end...Oregon used him very effectively, and he’s a nightmare matchup at the college level." [29:07–29:20]

Kyler Murray’s Uncertain NFL Future

• Both Vikings and Falcons are interested post-Cardinals—debate on fit:
  • "If the schedule lines up with cold weather games for the Vikings outdoors, Kyler is a non starter." – Jason McIntyre [31:58]

Division Coaching, QB Decision-Making, and Draft Insights

• On Kevin O’Connell: "They got rid of the GM, so that tells me ownership believes in the coach over the GM." – Jason McIntyre [32:31]
• On Minnesota: "The problem is, we don’t know who’s starting on Sunday at quarterback. That’s the problem." [34:08]

Draft Class Analysis, Mock Draft Reactions

• Top prospects discussed:
  • "That feels a little high for Sonny Styles going forward to Tennessee in my opinion. Watched every Ohio State game of note. I think he's a very good player. That seems a little high." [44:40]
  • "If Miami can get David Bailey at 11, they got to walk out of this draft and feel really good about it." [45:23]
  • On Kenyon Sadiq: "If Kyle Shanahan gets his hands on that kid, he'd be like a combination of Kittle and Deebo Samuel. Like he is totally built for McVay or Kyle Shanahan or a Kevin O’Connell." [46:35]
• Trends: High-pedigree physical traits are less common at the very top, perhaps reflecting multi-sport shifts and safety concerns for youth football.

Notable Quotes & Moments (with Timestamps)

• "LeBron is now the second slowest player in the NBA...he can't assist to hide LeBron's fatal flaw which is conditioning and bad defense." – Colin Cowherd [03:18]
• "The entire wait staff gets called up...and it was Fernando Mendoza. I mean, he was the biggest thing there, and he wasn't even working out." – Matt Hasselbeck [09:32]
• "I'd not actually think it's a terrible thing at all that Diego is maybe learning from Johnny Manziel...as long as...you don’t have to do what I did and here's why." – Matt Hasselbeck [17:50]
• "It’s a dream come true for these guys. It’s a job interview. It’s something they’ll do once in their life." – Matt Hasselbeck [19:17]
• "We all want the best without having to pay the most. That’s where Verizon comes in." – Notable sponsor mention (skip for summary)

Additional Highlights & Takeaways

• QB intangibles & leadership were consistently prioritized over pure physical traits.
• Mentorship/role models matter – Not every unorthodox QB mentor is a liability; sometimes “bad influences” serve as valuable cautionary tales.
• Draft class depth led to bullish takes on mid-to-late first rounders.
• Changing economics of the QB position: Contracts for unproven passers like Malik Willis quickly inflate.
• NIL effect on college basketball briefly discussed (35:31), stressing increased program parity due to player retention.

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 02:17 – 09:02: Where Colin Was Right/Wrong
• 09:02 – 22:59: Matt Hasselbeck NFL Combine insights
• 27:27 – 34:24: Bears/Packers rivalry, Kenyon Sadiq, Kyler Murray landing spots
• 44:05 – 50:21: Mock draft reactions and broader draft trends

Tone

Colin Cowherd’s commentary is direct, self-effacing, and filled with both football insight and humor. Matt Hasselbeck brings measured, firsthand perspective as a former player. Jason McIntyre serves as an energetic counterbalance, offering both statistical and anecdotal input.

Best For:
NFL and draft fans interested in both the player evaluation process and the human element behind top prospects; anyone tracking league trends, the quarterback market, or high-profile team moves.

Memorable Episode Tagline:
"One of the first things he said to me, he said, 'I know I'm a goober.' And I was like, dude, embrace it. Like, it's really endearing. Just be authentic." – Matt Hasselbeck on Fernando Mendoza [10:13]