Cole Payton entered college as one of Nebraska’s most decorated high school QBs at Westside High in Omaha. Coming out of a perfect 12-0 season and being named Gatorade Player of the Year in 2021, he shocked everyone by joining North Dakota State, an FCS school. Still, that may be one of the best decisions he made as he’s now in line to make history. 

As far as anyone can tell, Cole Payton is on track to become the first former 4-star recruit to sign FCS out of high school and get drafted. The 6’3, 232-pound QB posted an unofficial 9.97 Relative Athletic Score (RAS) out of 10.00, fourth out of 1,054 QBs tested from 1987 to 2026. And scouts got to see at the combine why he’s stealing attention.

His NFL Combine numbers are impressive. He ran the 40-yard dash at 4.56, recorded a 1.55 10-yard split, 40-inch vertical, 10’10 broad jump, 7.12 three-cone, and 4.36 shuttle. It shows that he’s not just elite for an FCS QB but he’s elite by any standard. The combine only amplified his upsides that was apparent in 2025. 

At North Dakota State, Cole Payton had to wait his turn. Over five seasons, he threw for 3,190 career yards and 21 TDs. It wasn’t until 2025 that he became the full-time starter. And when he finally got the keys, he delivered. In his lone year as the starter, he passed for 2,719 yards and 16 TDs while completing over 70% of his throws. Another enticing factor is that he’s a dual-threat QB who also added 717 yards and 13 scores on the ground. His PFSN QB Impact score reads 89.7, second-best in the FCS.

Still, the pushback is obvious. Cole Payton came from a smaller school with just one starting year. Even praises are tinged with skepticism as seen from analyst Alfredo Brown’s evaluation. 

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“4.56 for Cole Payton is awesome. Great runner. Extremely accurate. Strong arm. Makes reads from the pocket. Throws well on the run. Just lacks the starts and he’s coming from FCS ball.”

But if anything, that’s fuel for Payton. 

“It just adds to the chip on my shoulder,” he said. “I’ve always had that… It’s gonna help me continue to work my tail off day in and day out and prove all those doubters wrong.”

CBS Sports’ Mike Renner went further, saying Cole Payton was the most impressive QB he heard at the podium and in interviews and that he “could make a real run for QB3.” With that said, two NFC teams are paying close attention. 

NFC teams are recognizing Cole Payton’s potential

According to the PFSN Big Board, Cole Payton currently sits ninth among QBs. He’s widely projected as one of the top 10 QBs drafted in 2026. And now there’s team interest to match the buzz. Per Dom Izzo of the Fargo Forum, the 23-year-old has met with the Chicago Bears and Detroit Lions, two NFC contenders with established starters but creative offensive systems.

The Bears could use him in run-pass packages behind Caleb Williams, especially in short-yardage and RPO sets. Meanwhile, Ben Johnson’s Lions’ offense is already run-heavy with David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs. Adding Cole Payton gives them a physical runner who can also throw. There’s even chatter about TE usage. The Lions could use depth behind Sam LaPorta while the Bears could ease the load on Colston Loveland and Cole Kmet. But if it were up to Cole Payton, he wants to be drafted as a QB.

“The NFL has been a long dream of mine,” he said. “I’m excited to change the narrative about my throwing ability and prove to everyone and myself that I’m a legit quarterback prospect.”

Now, he’s nearing history after lighting up the combine as NFL teams see the potential. Now, it’s not about if Cole Payton belongs in this draft conversation anymore, it’s how high he climbs.