FOX Sports Digital
The debate over who is the best quarterback in the NFL might be the most open it's been in years. Patrick Mahomes struggled in 2025 before tearing his ACL, leading to some questions about what his future might look like. Josh Allen won MVP in 2024 and has been a strong contender for the award in recent years, but he hasn't gotten over the hump in the playoffs. Matthew Stafford won his first MVP in 2025, although he's 38 entering the new season. And we can't count out young quarterbacks like Drake Maye and Caleb Williams from the discussion either, even if they haven't had sustained success yet. So, as the debate over the quarterback hierarchy rages on, Colin Cowherd gave a try at ranking the top 10 quarterbacks in the NFL ahead of the 2026 season on "The Herd." Cowherd's thoughts: "Drake Maye edges out Lamar Jackson. Listen, he was the first quarterback in league history to ever have a 70% completion percentage and 4,000 passing yards before turning 25. It feels like he's in his prime and he's a kid and he did it last year with a bad offensive line and an average running game. No one thought they would get to the Super Bowl. He was the most accurate quarterback in the NFL last season, for a kid! He reminds me a little bit of Herbert with a little bit of accuracy." Cowherd's thoughts: "The most underrated player in the league is Jordan Love. I'm pretty sure Jordan Love is underrated. Now, he gets off to bad Septembers. It's inexplicable. It's bad. I cannot explain Septembers. He completes 60% of his throws since he's been a pro quarterback in September and he's 4-5-1. I think it's Matt LaFleur's offense. … But in terms of arm, whip, size, smarts, toughness — he'll get banged up, but he doesn't miss a lot of starts — I think he's a huge talent." Cowherd's thoughts: "Goff's one of these guys that got a new coordinator — again, we're considering everything. He doesn't miss starts, he's unbelievable from the pocket. He does need O-line protection to flourish. But he's got Drew Petzing. Last year, the OC situation wasn't ideal. He wasn't quite the same. But he leads the NFL in passing yards, passing touchdowns and wins over the last three seasons. That accounts for a lot." Cowherd's thoughts: "I don't know what there is to argue. Last four seasons, four different teams, he's 28-6. He's now got a trophy. He is one of the two quarterbacks in the whole league with 4,000-plus passing yards in back-to-back seasons. He led the Seahawks with a defensive coach having lost DK Metcalf and a running back that couldn't stay healthy to the No. 1 offense in probably the second-best division in football. He's in his prime. … He's one of the younger great quarterbacks in the league. Really, if you look at his age, he's got six years of prime left." Cowherd's thoughts: "I...
