The 2026 NFL Draft is in Pittsburgh! This draft season, we’ll be scouting as many of the top prospects that the Pittsburgh Steelers could have their eye on. We’ll break down the prospects themselves, strengths and weaknesses, projected draft capital, and their fit with the Steelers.
The Cole Payton hype train has taken off in recent weeks — in a relatively weak quarterback class, could he be the top sleeper to keep an eye on in 2026?
The basics on Cole Payton
- Position: Quarterback
- Class: Fifth-year senior
- Size: 6’3, 232 pounds
- Age: 23
- Projected draft round: 5
Offensive stats via ESPN
Cole Payton scouting report
North Dakota State quarterback Cole Payton has slowly risen up big
boards as draft season has gone on, capturing hearts as this year’s small-school sleeper at the position — not an unfamiliar occurrence for NDSU passers.
Payton spent five seasons with the Bison, finally getting a chance to start in 2025, where he turned in a productive season before moving to the NFL. Payton completed 72% of his pass attempts, throwing for 2,719 yards, 16 touchdowns, and four interceptions. But he also added 777 yards on the ground and another 13 touchdowns.
As you can tell from the statistics, Payton was a key contributor to NDSU’s run-heavy attack. With his strong 6’3, 232-pound build, he was tough to bring down in the pocket. Payton isn’t the most twitchy athlete, but his long speed is a weapon and he reads blocks and finds running lanes well.
Plus, he has some hurdles in his arsenal.
As a passer, Payton is a bit more of a mixed bag, and his limited starting experience and low level of competition further muddle what his NFL projection is.
Despite all the reports gushing about Payton’s high upside, I’m not quite sure if I’m there. His arm certainly passes the minimum NFL thresholds, but his zip on passes is inconsistent. On sideline throws there’s a mix of good and bad — sometimes the velocity is just OK.
But you have to wonder if there’s more to unlock when it comes to Payton’s arm. His mechanics aren’t ideal — I’m not exactly a quarterback expert, but his throwing motion looks elongated, he carries the ball low, and he doesn’t fully use his lower body to drive his passes. Still, the ball whips off his wrist nicely at the top of his release. Some NFL coaching could maximize his potential.
I appreciated this video that flipped Payton’s left-handed throwing motion so it’s easier to evaluate:
He definitely has some flashes of a great deep ball, showing off some promising placement at times.
That said, count me out of the camp that claims Payton has some sort of cannon of an arm. It’s not a weakness of his game, but I don’t think his upside is quite as freakish and many want it to be.
Plus, Payton’s high completion percentage was definitely boosted by an offense that gave him a lot of easy answers and his ability to slash defenses on the ground when there weren’t answers downfield. His accuracy is still an overall strength of his game, but he did tend to miss high on downfield passes and behind on crossers.
Payton sometimes looked slow to get through reads and a little too eager to run — although you can’t really blame him when he was routinely successful when he took off from the pocket. Again though, the NFL is going to be a jump.
That said, when in rhythm there were plenty of examples of good ball placement, layering, and timing from Payton, especially on middle of the field throws. There’s a lot you can work with:
And I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention Payton’s playmaking ability. There are questions as to just how much will translate against NFL athletes, who will force much tighter windows in the passing game and provide much better pocket pursuit. But Payton’s scrambling ability and flashes throwing on the run are undeniably electric.
The Day 2 hype might be a bit much for Payton, in my opinion. But as a Day 3 flier you could do a whole lot worse. He offers upside not just at quarterback but in a Taysom Hill-esque role thanks to his rushing ability and sturdy build.
Strengths
- Big, thick build
- Productive, winning dual threat
- Hard-to-bring-down runner with good build-up speed and open field vision
- Flashes of pretty deep ball
- Plus layering and timing on middle of the field routes
- Some off-platform, on-the-run playmaking ability
Weaknesses
- Accuracy runs hot and cold
- Unorthodox throwing motion
- Zip on throws is inconsistent
- Low level of college competition, hero ball sequences that might not translate to NFL
- One-year starter in run-heavy offense
What others are saying about Cole Payton
Lance Zierlein, NFL.com
Payton is a dual-threat, single-season FCS starter with good size. He’s a lefty with shoddy mechanics and subpar arm talent, but he still manages to deliver throws with touch to all three levels. He lacks drive velocity to dot throws into tight windows and might not have the timing needed to outfox pro zone defenders, though. He’s not shifty but excels when short yardage is needed and has build-up speed for explosive runs once he gets rolling. Payton projects as a QB3 and will require packaged plays to take advantage of his rushing ability until he proves himself a functional pocket passer.
Gerald J. Huggins II, Sports Illustrated
Payton projects as a fringe NFL roster prospect whose success will rely heavily on his ability to refine his mechanics and find the right system to develop in. He projects best in a spread or timing-based West Coast system. As of now, he is an instant package quarterback in short-yardage situations, and if he doesn’t develop as a quarterback, it may prompt a position change.
Damian Parson, Bleacher Report
Strong football IQ for a player with his experience level. Identifies potential blitzing defenders and makes protection checks to pick up the free runner. … Throws from a strong, wide base to generate the necessary power on throws. Ready to throw at the top of his drop with little wasted movement. … Has a tendency to stare down reads and not trust his eyes. Needs to find consistency with processing when reading zone defenders and letting throws rip. … Does not fully incorporate his lower body into throws, leaves his back foot behind. … PRO COMPARISON: Jalen Hurts.
Cole Payton’s fit with the Steelers
It’s hard to be sure of anything when it comes to draft eligible quarterbacks, but I’m not sure if I see true franchise quarterback potential with Payton. While he clearly possesses more athletic ability than Will Howard, the latter offers similar arm strength and better processing, experience, and touch and accuracy on throws. Especially on Day 2, I just don’t get this pick for the Steelers.
Still, the team brought him in for a top-30 visit and it’s not hard to see why. As a Day 3 option, Payton certainly offers some intriguing tools, and a rework of his throwing mechanics might unlock another level of arm talent. The Steelers have a whopping 12 picks in 2026, and in the later rounds they could do a whole lot worse than rolling the dice on a unique athlete such as Payton.
TL;DR: Payton is a big, powerful dual-threat quarterback with a short-but-successful run as the starter of an FCS powerhouse. He possesses a solid arm, unorthodox mechanics, and an impressive ability to extend plays, although he’ll need time to adjust to NFL defenses.
What are your thoughts on North Dakota State quarterback Cole Payton? And which draft prospects would you like to see profiled next? Let us know in the comments below!
