The cows are just sun druids and the blood elves tortured and drained a Naaru to mock the Light and scorn the Alliance’s paladins by mimicking them. But the Zandalari Prelates actually use their faith and dedication to their chosen deity to receive a divine boon and combine it with their martial prowess.
That is literally how Paladins came to exist in this fantasy universe. Priests of the Church of the Holy Light and the Knights of Lordaeron mixing their faith and prowess to form the Silver Hand and with it a new combat discipline; the Paladin. They coined the term in Azeroth to begin with, to refer to the Knights of the Silver Hand. The Draenei did something similar millenia ago, getting their boon from the Naaru and using it for combat as Vindicators.
If there is any Horde race that deserves to be called a Paladin it is the Zandalari.