Colin Cowherd’s ranking of the top quarterbacks for the 2026 season was not well-received by the NFL community. Amid all the noise, former NFL linebacker and now analyst Emmanuel Acho was one of the most vocal critics of the “problems” identified in a list that ranks Justin Herbert and the young Caleb Williams above Matthew Stafford and Lamar Jackson.
Emmanuel Acho Expressed Irritation With Colin Cowherd’s Preference for Justin Herbert
During a segment on the “Speakeasy” show, Acho expressed his outrage, calling Herbert’s fourth-place ranking “absurd.” According to him, if the criteria are performance, consistency, and career progression, it is unjustifiable that a player in his fifth year who has yet to win a playoff game is ranked above quarterbacks who have already won MVP awards or had more success in the playoffs.
The former Philadelphia Eagles linebacker also argued that Herbert, rather than being on an upward trajectory, is on a path of uncertainty, citing the constant turnover of coaches and coordinators in the Chargers’ organization, currently under head coach Jim Harbaugh and offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel.
For the analyst, elevating Herbert to the “top 5” of the best QB rankings without concrete results in January and February is a “disrespect to the sport,” suggesting that Drake Maye, after a brilliant season with the Patriots, deserves a higher ranking than Herbert.
“The most asinine thing about this list isn’t even Mahomes at 2. The most asinine thing about Colin Cowherd’s list is Justin Herbert at 4, ahead of Matthew Stafford, a reigning MVP, and Matthew Stafford, a Super Bowl champ,” Acho said. “If you want this list based upon production, durability, and career momentum, the dude who just won MVP has more momentum than the player who’s on year 5 [next season will be Herbert’s seventh year in the league] and doesn’t have a playoff win. That’s trajectory going downward.”
“My biggest gripe with this list is Herbert at 4, ahead of the likes of Stafford, ahead of the likes of Drake Maye,” Acho added. “Drake Maye has done more than Justin Herbert in two years. Two years!”
“He’s got way more momentum, MVP finalist, runner-up, and he’s got just as much, if not more, durability, and he’s got just as much, if not more, meaningful production,” he continued. “So to me, the insatiable desire to put Justin Herbert into conversations that he simply does not belong in is baffling to me, and it undermines the sport.”
Cowherd’s Top 10 List Has Notable Inconsistencies
Herbert, who ranks No. 11 in the PFSN QB Impact metric with a C+ grade, has statistics that put him in a strong position on the list of the best QBs, and his standout individual talent is a key factor Cowherd cites. On the other hand, his lack of decisive playoff victories makes this choice highly controversial.
Another notable issue with Cowherd’s list was the fact that he left out other big names like Dak Prescott, Jalen Hurts, Jordan Love, and Trevor Lawrence from his top 10. Below is the complete list of the best QBs, according to the veteran analyst.
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- Josh Allen
- Patrick Mahomes
- Caleb Williams
- Justin Herbert
- Matthew Stafford
- Joe Burrow
- Lamar Jackson
- Drake Maye
- Jared Goff
- Sam Darnold
