Why new Eagles QB Cole Payton waited four years for a chance to play in college

Over five years in college, Payton totaled 3,188 passing yards, 21 touchdowns and a 70 percent completion rate

By Reuben Frank • Published April 26, 2026

It would have been so easy for Cole Payton to move on. Enter the transfer portal. Give up on North Dakota State. Find a program where he could actually play quarterback instead of sitting around waiting four years for his turn.

And you couldn’t have blamed him if he did.

Payton threw 58 passes in his first four years at North Dakota State and never started a game. That’s four years of his life where he was essentially denied a chance to do what he loves because he was second on the depth chart behind Cam Miller, who led NDSU to two FCS national championships, broke several of Carson Wentz’s school records and was drafted by the Raiders in the sixth round of last year’s draft.

He stayed.

"I mean, it was tough,” Payton said. "It wasn't easy, for sure. Being the competitor I am, you know, I just love football. And so it was tough at times and people ask, like, ‘Why didn't you transfer?’ And it's because I believe in myself, the pro-style offense, the fact that they have sent so many guys to the NFL.

"And I felt that looking ahead, I had one year and I was going to make the most of that one year. And, you know, here I am. But I'm just so excited to be an Eagle and get to work and compete and improve and learn and grow.”

The waiting certainly paid off.

Payton was good enough in his one year as a starter that the Eagles drafted him in the fifth round Saturday, 10 years after they drafted Wentz out of NDSU.

He completed 72 percent of his passes, 2nd-highest in the FCS last year, behind only Taron Dickens of Western Carolina, who was at 74 percent. His 16.89 yards per completion led the BCS by more than a yard per completion over Victor Gabalis of Tarleton State, Darius Cooper’s former quarterback. And his 193.84 passer rating was also highest in the FCS, well ahead of Dickens’ 188.24.

Payton also was among the FCS rushing leaders, finishing 28th in the FCS with 5.7 rushing yards per game and running for nearly 800 yards.

"Really, really athletic,” Nick Sirianni said of the newest Eagles quarterback. "Really good with the ball in his hands in the quarterback run game, made great decisions with the football, accurate passer, 72 percent last year as a starter. And you can't be that unless you're making good, accurate throws and going the right place with the ball.

"But there's some wild plays on his tape that are really impressive. I mean, I think I charted like four times he jumped over somebody or wrote down a bunch of times, ‘He's the best athlete on the field.’ Big. strong, really excited about him.”

Payton is the fifth NDSU quarterback drafted in the last 10 years, following Wentz, Easton Stick, Trey Lance and Miller.

He said the Bison’s track record sending quarterbacks to the NFL is a big reason he wanted to go to NDSU in the first place and why he stuck around all those years as a backup.

"I've been thinking about and dreaming about the NFL since I was a kid,” he said. "Growing up just loving the game of football, loving sports and wanting to play in the NFL has been a dream of mine since a young age. And yeah, NDSU was so attractive in the fact that they had sent guys to the league already and that it was a true pro-style offense.

"And I think that's why we've had guys in the league because we're huddling up, I'm getting a play call from coach (offensive coordinator Dan) Larson in my helmet about 75 percent of the time. And yeah, that was a huge reason on why I went to NDSU, with that dream in mind.”

Payton’s running ability is a big part of why he’s here.

He ran for 1,919 yards and 31 touchdowns with a 6.7 career rushing average in his five years in Fargo. He was such a weapon that in 2023, even though he wasn’t playing quarterback, he got on the field enough to rush 84 times for 615 yards and 13 touchdowns with a 7.3 average.

Sirianni didn’t rule out using Payton in a Taysom Hill type of role, which would require him being active on game days.

"We'll see how that goes,” he said. "We're going to get him here, get him acclimated here, and have a chance for that next weekend at rookie minicamp, learn in the playbook, and then we'll see where we go from there.”

That would be fine with Payton.

When you waited four years for your turn to play in college, you’ll take any chance to get on the field on Sundays.

"Yeah, I would be so stoked for whatever opportunity came my way,” he said Saturday night. "Obviously, I'm going to compete. I'm going to improve. And I'm just here for whatever the team needs. At the end of the day, whatever they need, whatever that looks like, I'm here for it.”

https://www.nbcsportsphiladelphia.com/nfl/philadelphia-eagles/new-qb-cole-payton-waited-four-years-to-play-in-college/729613/

It's strange to me that NFL teams are so focused on the "dual threat" QBs, when the overwhelming majority of Super Bowl winning QBs are pocket passers.

Russell Wilson and Mahomes are opportunists, who continue to look downfield when forced from the pocket and recognize when to take off....they have very few designed runs. Hurts running is game planned in and he takes off more often than Wilson and Mahomes.

There's a big difference having pocket awareness, moving well in the pocket and buying more time to pass taking off running after 2 looks......Personally, I want a pocket Qb who can move well, but can go thru his progressions and decision quickly and get rid of the ball.

It's a very difficult position to play well.....the amount and speed of reads, decisions and release, all comes in less than 4 seconds, usually while somebody is trying to kill you.

Hurts has ton of good qualities and the eagles have taken advantage of his strengths. But I have always said his progressions and decision making is too slow for him to be anything more than an average passer.