NDSU QB Cole Payton Emerges as 2026 Draft Prospect After Strong Grades

Cole Payton has moved from FCS breakout to legitimate 2026 draft conversation after finishing 2025 as one of the highest‑graded quarterbacks in available analytics and collecting bullish scouting reports from multiple outlets. Pro Football Focus graded Payton as the top FCS quarterback with a 95.8 PFF offense grade, and highlighted his passer grade (94.5) and runner grade (90.0), calling him a left‑handed, dual‑threat quarterback whose Senior Bowl week could push him up draft boards. PFF added, “For Payton, the interview process with NFL teams may matter even more than what he shows on the field during practices or the game.”

Scouts see clear pro traits. TheDraftNetwork calls Payton “a tough, strong, athletic, pass‑first QB with phenomenal developmental building blocks to become an elite NFL signal‑caller,” awarding a Round 2 - Winning Starter grade and listing him as the position No. 10 and overall No. 148. VikingsWire cited PFF‑style metrics, including 28 big time throws, a 3.33 second time to throw, average depth of target of 12.4 yards, and an adjusted completion rate of 78.3 percent, and projected that “He can be a day two pick and sit and develop for a team with a veteran ahead of him.”

Payton’s physical profile checks the pro box at 6-3 and 233 pounds, and his game tape lines up with the scouting praise: reports emphasize arm strength, downfield ball placement, escapability and the ability to extend plays on the move. TheDraftNetwork singled out “Arm Strength,” “Ball Placement” and “Ad‑Lib Traits and Escapability” as strengths, and added that Payton “shows elite physical traits and plays a physical brand of football.”

Concerns are straightforward and widely acknowledged: Payton started just one season as a full‑time starter and will enter the draft with limited dropback experience. TheDraftNetwork listed “Inexperience” and mechanical issues, “an awkward, arm‑dominant throwing motion with inconsistent lower‑body involvement”, among its concerns. VikingsWire cautioned, “Cole Payton is not going to be for everyone due to his lack of experience and pass attempts, and that is for good reason,” while also arguing Payton “brings an edge to the quarterback position similar to Baker Mayfield” and that “I think Cole Payton's arm may be better than McCarthy's.”

Raw counting statistics currently conflict across outlets, and those totals will need verification. VikingsWire reports 13 games, 283 pass attempts, 3,190 passing yards and 52 total touchdowns; TheDraftNetwork lists 13 games, 2,719 passing yards, 16 passing TDs, 4 interceptions and a 72 percent completion rate; SI reported single‑season NDSU marks including pass efficiency (193.8), total offense per game (268.9) and yards per play (9.71). Given those discrepancies, official NDSU and NCAA box scores should be consulted to reconcile attempts, yards and touchdown totals before treating any single tally as definitive.

Immediate catalysts for Payton’s draft trajectory are clear. He is expected in Mobile for the Senior Bowl, where PFF noted only three FCS players are competing this year and where a strong week could elevate his stock. Evaluators will weigh Senior Bowl practices, interviews and measurements alongside his tape and the verified season totals. For NFL teams looking for a left‑handed, physically gifted prospect who can sit, develop and potentially start within a couple of seasons, Payton offers upside, but his draft slot will hinge on answers to work‑week questions about mechanics, consistency and the interview process.