Colin Cowherd reveals controversial top-10 QB ranking for 2026 season

Analyst Colin Cowherd made waves across the entire NFL on Wednesday as he revealed his top 10 quarterbacks heading into the 2026 season to begin "The Herd with Colin Cowherd." 

Some of the names that appeared at the top were expected, but other quarterback rankings and omissions instantly stood out. Some QB's unexpectedly rose on the list, while some prominent names dropped out completely.

Honorable mentions left outside Colin Cowherd’s top 10

• Dak Prescott
• Jayden Daniels
• Jalen Hurts
• Jordan Love
• Trevor Lawrence
• Baker Mayfield

QB rankings are always going to cause debate, but lists like Cowherd's are still fundamentally opinion-based and influenced by a person's specific set of criteria. Time and time again, Cowherd pointed out that his QB list was based on production, durability and momentum as opposed to just postseason success or career achievements; though, the exclusion of Jayden Daniels, Jalen Hurts and Jordan Love will likely always be among the most debatable criteria on the list to NFL fans for the foreseeable future.

Colin Cowherd’s top 10 NFL quarterbacks entering 2026

1. Josh Allen
2. Patrick Mahomes
3. Caleb Williams
4. Justin Herbert
5. Matthew Stafford
6. Joe Burrow
7. Lamar Jackson
8. Drake Maye
9. Jared Goff
10. Sam Darnold

Caleb Williams at No.3 is jaw-dropping

This is where Cowherd's rankings truly came into question. To put Williams as the third-best quarterback in the league was destined to be controversial. After all, this would be just Williams's third season in the NFL. Clearly, Cowherd valued upside, health and current production more than their postseason records. But at some point, you have to value real data more than potential upside.

Cowherd’s ranking of Williams becomes even more interesting when looking deeper into the numbers. During the 2025 regular season, Williams threw for 3,942 yards with 27 touchdowns and only seven interceptions while helping lead the Chicago Bears to an 11-6 record and an NFC Championship Game appearance.  

At the same time, his 2025 postseason numbers told a very different story. In two playoff games, Williams posted a 65.9 passer rating with five interceptions and completed just 52.2 percent of his passes.  That disconnect between regular-season production and postseason consistency is exactly why his placement near the top of Cowherd’s rankings is confusing.

Does Caleb Williams over Drake Maye make sense?

Ranking Williams above Maye may end up becoming one of the more difficult placements on Cowherd’s list to justify, especially given Maye’s regular-season stats. Maye threw for 4,394 yards with 31 touchdowns and just eight interceptions while leading the New England Patriots to a Super Bowl appearance. 

During the postseason, Maye threw for 828 yards with six touchdowns, four interceptions and an 82.2 passer rating. While Maye did play in two additional postseason games than Williams, he also did so with an injured shoulder and still produced better overall numbers. More importantly, despite having fewer playoff games, Williams still threw more interceptions. Based strictly on production, playoff success and overall consistency, Maye being ranked five spots behind Williams feels far too low.

Real data matters more than upside

QB rankings will always carry some level of subjectivity, especially entering a new season. At the same time, once rankings become this aggressive, production and postseason success naturally become part of the conversation. Fair or not, quarterbacks are ultimately judged by wins, playoff performances, and championships. 

While Cowherd’s rankings clearly leaned heavily on projection, upside and personal evaluation criteria, many fans may argue that actual production, playoff success and tangible results should ultimately carry more weight than projecting what a quarterback could eventually become.