Scouts Praise NDSU QB Cole Payton, WR Bryce Lance Ahead of Draft

Scouts and evaluators have spotlighted North Dakota State talents Cole Payton and Bryce Lance as they head into pre-draft workouts, projects that carry real weight for FCS representation in the 2026 NFL Draft and dynasty fantasy leagues. Payton’s eye-popping efficiency and Lance’s combination of size and speed have both drawn comparisons to previous Bison NFL exports, even as evaluators urge teams to vet measurables and context.

Cole Payton closed his NDSU career as an All‑American and rewrote single-season program records for the Bison. He set the mark for pass efficiency at 193.8, total offense per game at 268.9, yards per play at 9.71, and yards per pass attempt at 12.1, a packet of numbers that underlines his big-play profile. “Cole Payton is a left-handed quarterback with a sturdy frame, running ability, and developmental upside. His throwing motion is three-quartered with a big wind-up prior to his release. The release point of his throws is far outside of his frame, which can lead to strip sacks in congested pockets,” wrote FCS draft analyst Gerald J. Huggins II.

Analytic marks bolster the tape work. Pro Football Focus-style metrics list a PFF passing grade of 95.4, 28 big time throws, an average depth of target of 12.4, and an adjusted completion percentage of 78.3, with a turnover worthy play rate of just 1.6 percent. Those numbers have prompted some community observers to call Payton “the best QB in the draft” from an analytical perspective, while others note the left-handed, three-quarter release will demand coaching in pro pockets. Payton checks in at 6-3, 233 lbs and is expected to attend the Senior Bowl to prove himself in front of NFL evaluators. Evaluators see day-two upside: “He can be a day two pick and sit and develop for a team with a veteran ahead of him,” wrote a Bucs-area scouting summary.

Bryce Lance capped his FCS career as an All‑American, becoming the first NDSU receiver with multiple 1,000-yard seasons and setting school and Missouri Valley Football Conference marks, “including 17 TDs in 2024.” The scouting report calls Lance “a prototypical outside 'X' receiver with size, top-end speed.” Dynasty and draft writers project a clear role if Lance reaches the NFL: a field-stretcher in the Z or X spot who can flip the field and demand attention deep. “Overall, Lance is an exciting prospect with potential, but not one I’d be willing to hitch my wagon to. The upside case for him could easily be a field-stretching role, similar to previous NDSU export Christian Watson, but I’d be surprised to see him end up as a WR1 or 2 in an NFL offense,” Lewis Wood wrote in his prospect piece.

Not all data points line up cleanly across scouting packets. One set of compiled career stats lists 3,188 passing yards with 21 passing touchdowns and 31 rushing scores; another tally shows a 3,190-yard season line in a 13-game block with 52 total touchdowns noted. Those discrepancies underscore the need for teams and analysts to verify official NDSU and NCAA stat sheets before projecting exact draft capital.

For fans and fantasy players, Payton is a high-upside developmental quarterback with rushing profile and elite per-play efficiency to intrigue evaluators at the Senior Bowl and during interviews. Lance offers the sort of one-dimensional vertical juice that can carve out a role quickly for a team that needs a field-stretcher. Next up: Senior Bowl reps, pro day measurables, and how NFL teams weigh small‑school production against those numbers will determine whether Payton or Lance land day-two draft opportunities or slide to value picks later in the draft.