The Philadelphia Eagles taking former North Dakota State quarterback Cole Payton in the fifth round looks like a pedestrian backup selection.
After all, the Eagles took former NDSU quarterback Carson Wentz a decade earlier at No. 2 and then picked up former Oklahoma star quarterback Jalen Hurts, who replaced Wentz, in the 2020 draft with a second-round pick. Hurts has enjoyed a stellar career and looks cemented as the Eagles starter for years to come, but NFL analyst Derek Brown sees Payton’s ceiling with the Eagles as much higher than a backup.
“I won’t dismiss that he could be the eventual successor to Jalen Hurts in Philly,” Brown said as quoted by FantasyPros via X on Friday.
Payton became one of the most intriguing draft prospects after a strong senior season at NDSU. He made the most of that lone season with a 72% completion rate for 2,719 yards and 16 touchdowns versus four interceptions in addition to 777 yards rushing and 13 touchdowns on 136 carries.
His skills align with what Hurts does well as a runner and thrower, and Payton comes from a Bison program that runs a pro-style offense. Whether or not Payton will become more than a backup remains a big unknown, but Payton has also proven that he can wait and perform when called upon.
Eagles Coach Nick Sirianni Raved About Cole Payton
Philadelphia head coach Nick Sirianni spoke highly of Payton right out the gate in his post-draft press conference.
“Really, really athletic,” Sirianni told reporters on April 25. “Really good with the ball in his hands in the QB run game. Makes great decisions with the football, accurate passer, 72%t last year as a starter.”
“You can’t do that unless you make some good throws and go to the right place with the ball But, there are some ‘wow’ plays on his tape that are really impressive,” Sirianni continued. “I think I charted four times where 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.”
Sirianni will have plenty of time to evaluate Payton during rookie minicamp this month and see where the former Bison star fits in. The coach indicated openness to find opportunities for Payton to play right away, if it makes sense.
“We’ll see. We’ll see how that goes,” Sirianni said.
NDSU utilized Payton’s running ability for years before he took over as the starter when former star quarterback Cam Miller graduated. Payton has 1,918 yards rushing and 31 touchdowns on 287 carries in 52 career games with the Bison.
Cole Payton Talks Meeting Jalen Hurts, Learning Eagles System
Payton recently talked connecting with Hurts and learning the Eagles offense on Friday when rookie minicamp kicked off. While Payton only saw Eagles backup quarterback Andy Dalton at the facility, Payton said both Hurts and backup quarterback Tanner McKee texted him congratulations after the Eagles picked him.
“And so excited to get to learn from them, work and compete, and just get to work and help contribute,” Payton told reporters.
Analyst Makes Wild Cole Payton Claim After NFL Draft