With the No. 178 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, the Philadelphia Eagles select … wait … is that Carson Wentz’s music?! Nope, it’s … Cole Payton, quarterback, North Dakota State!
Funny to see the Birds go back to the NDSU well 10 years after trading up for Wentz to be their franchise quarterback … who was then ultimately replaced by Jalen Hurts. Payton is unlikely to be taking over for the Eagles’ Super Bowl MVP anytime soon but it is an interesting addition to the quarterback room.
It comes as no surprise
that the self-described QB Factory decided to take a shot on another passing prospect. Here’s what we wrote on Thursday afternoon:
Why is it so unthinkable that the Eagles could draft a quarterback? Doing so wouldn’t even necessarily be an indictment of Jalen Hurts, which some make it out to be in response to the mere suggestion of the idea. This is the self-proclaimed QB factory! Almost no one thought the Eagles would draft Hurts when they did. How could you say they definitely won’t take one this year? Tanner McKee will be a free agent after this season and Andy Dalton could be moved up to QB2 if [Mckee] is traded, allowing a developmental role for rookie QB3.
The book on Payton, who will turn 24 in October, needs development. The Eagles hired a lot of offensive assistant who have experience working with quarterbacks, so, he might be a special project for one of them to work with behind the scenes.
Scouting report via NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein:
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.
College stats via ESPN:
Spider graph via Mockdraftable:
Watch his highlights video:
Grade the pick
Remaining Eagles draft picks
1 (20) – Makai Lemon, WR, USC
2 (54) – Eli Stowers, TE, Vanderbilt
3 (68) – Markel Bell, OT, Miami
5 (178) – Cole Payton, QB, North Dakota State
6 (197) –
7 (244) –
Remaining Eagles needs
Safety
Interior offensive line
Long snapper
