The Senior Bowl is now officially in the books, with the American Team manhandling a 17–9 dub over the National Team. Garrett Nussmeier might have been the talk of the town, but the most inspiring story to come out of this game was from the other side of the fence, the National Team’s North Dakota State quarterback, Cole Payton. Just seven weeks after undergoing surgery to put screws in his thumb, Payton suited up and played well enough to grab the attention of NFL scouts… and the MVP.

“I’m feeling like myself again. I would say about so a week and a half ago, two weeks I started throwing again, and it wasn’t feeling the best,” Payton said when Tom Pelissero of CBS Sports asked how is the injury recovery process running. “But last week, working, working down in southern California. With Chase Callahan, shout out Excel Sports and Jake Heaps. I’m training with Jake Heaps (QB trainer) and so just so many great people in my corner and last week it was feeling good when I was spinning it, and so I was feeling like myself again.”

Payton earned his spot in the game after a monster 2025 regular season at NDSU. The 6’2, the dual threat of a QB spent the year shredding defenses with over 2,500 passing yards and 15 touchdowns, while adding almost 700 yards and 10 scores on the ground. He led Bison deep into the FCS playoffs until tragedy met him.

Payton suffered a nasty break in the thumb of his throwing hand in their 29-28 loss to Illinois State. With 1:59 left in the game and NDSU facing a 3rd-and-4, Illinois State tackle Jake Anderson swatted the ball away for a strip-sack.

Payton broke the thumb on his throwing hand during that fumble. Illinois State recovered the ball and scored the game-winning touchdown and two-point conversion shortly afterwards. Although Payton tried to make a comeback to the field for final-drive, it didn’t just hit off. That loss ended their 16-game win streak.

To keep things from getting worse, the doctors requested that he undergo immediate surgery to stabilize the bone.

Most people assumed his draft prep season was over, but Payton had other plans. He pushed through an intense rehab schedule to get those screws settled and his grip strength back just in time for the biggest showcase of his career so far.

In the actual game, Payton didn’t look like a guy who had been under the knife two months ago. He finished 5-of-10 for 72 passing yards and added another 22 yards on the ground, including a slick 19-yard scramble that was one of the longest plays of the day. While the National Team ultimately lost 17–9 to the American side (led by game MVP Garrett Nussmeier).

At the end of the day, this is as impressive as it gets. With the NFL Draft Combine and everything that comes along with it approaching, the real question is: can he get drafted? Or does his Disney-esque run end here?

Cole Payton’s draft profile

Cole Payton is absolutely looking like a draftable prospect right now, especially after he walked away with the offensive MVP award. Most scouts currently have him pegged as a Day 3 pick, which means he’d likely hear his name called in Rounds 4 through 7. He’s generally ranked as a top-10 quarterback in this class as per ESPN and Fox.

Some analysts think he’s played his way into the “top 100” conversation, which could even push him into the late third or early 4th round if a team falls in love with his potential. Tony Pauline of EssentiallySports believes he has Day 2 written all over him after entering the postseason as a projected UDFA.

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The odds are definitely in his favor because he brings that “dual-threat” energy that NFL teams are obsessed with right now. And he’s jacked like a middle linebacker. Scouts love his 6’3″, 233-pound frame and the fact that he’s a “gamer” who can create explosive plays out of nowhere, even if his throwing motion is a bit “loopy” and needs some pro-level polishing. The glaring issue with him is that he only had one full season as a starter.

The bottom line is if he crushes the NFL Scouting Combine later this spring, his odds of going earlier in the draft will only go up. He’s seen as a “developmental” prospect, meaning he’ll likely sit behind a veteran for a year or two to learn the ropes, but the raw talent is clearly there.

Whether he’s the next big small-school star like NDSU legends Carson Wentz or Trey Lance remains to be seen, but you can bet he’ll be on an NFL roster come this fall.