Exclusive: North Dakota State’s Cole Payton Drawing Draft Hype, Seen as QB2 in 2026

All of the early focus on the upcoming NFL draft at the quarterback position has surrounded Heisman Trophy winner Fernando Mendoza, and understandably so, but there is an off-the-grid passer who is drawing strong praise among top talent evaluators who has a real chance to be selected far higher than anyone is projecting to this point.

North Dakota State quarterback Cole Payton is creating a strong buzz in the scouting community with multiple trusted personnel executives assuring me they have a high second-round grade on Payton and believe he is firmly the second-best talent at the quarterback position in this draft. 

Payton is only a one-year starter, and at an FBS school at that, but his athletic traits have continued to impress, he has ideal size at 6-3, 220 pounds, and proven evaluators with a track record of sizing up quarterbacks have been raving to us privately about him for months.

What Are Top Scouts Saying About Payton?

One longtime NFL executive who has studied the quarterback class closely said: “I get why Mendoza is going first, he has checked every box and met every challenge. I don’t think he is the best player in the draft but he’s a great kid and he can handle the pressure that comes with it… I’d like to have seen it on a larger sample size with the top pick, but I get it." 

“But I don’t think this kid from North Dakota State is that far behind him. I really don’t. Two or three years from now, I think he can be there with (Mendoza). We think he’s gone early two (second-round). And somebody probably shot on him at the end of day one. Everything I’ve been telling you about him since November, people who are doing the work are seeing it too. This kid can play.”

Another longtime evaluator said: “He’s QB 2 for me, yeah. The more I watch the more I like. I haven’t had a chance to talk to him myself, but we hear he’s a really good kid. I like his decision making, I see above average arm strength and accuracy. He has the body. I think he has a good left-handed release. He can run some… It’s not a good class at all, but he has some upside. Second round, but you know what that means. Somebody might want the fifth-year option (which teams get on first-round picks).”

Teams like what they saw of Payton at the Senior Bowl. He was on the conference honor roll for three straight seasons, he completed nearly 72% of his passes last season and will be one of the most closely watching prospects at the upcoming scouting combine. 

Payton is off the grid in mock draft nation for now, but we doubt that goes on much longer. 

With roughly a third of the NFL in need for a quarterback upgrade, and with prospects like Bo Nix and Jaxon Dart out-producing their draft projections immediately in recent years, the climate is ripe for Payton to rise.