With quarterback Kyler Murray out the door for the Arizona Cardinals, an uncertain future at the game’s most significant position commences.
The Cardinals like quarterback Jacoby Brissett and even benched Murray for him, but Brissett is a veteran journeyman backup and not a long-term starter. That said, the Cardinals could find a diamond in the rough, or a ‘draft gem’ as Bleacher Report’s Alex Ballentine puts it, in this year’s draft. That’s despite the fact that it’s not a quarterback-heavy draft.
Ballentine recommends that the Cardinals draft North Dakota State dual-threat quarterback Cole Payton as a prospect to develop. If Payton thrives, the Cardinals could find a big, athletic quarterback to provide a similar spark once looked for in Murray.
“It might be a smarter play for the Cards to go with a one-year bridge, draft a developmental prospect, and see how the next draft class shakes out,” Ballentine wrote. “Cole Payton is one under-the-radar prospect they should be considering. He’s going to be a bit of a dice roll as a quarterback with just one year of collegiate starting experience at the FCS level.”
“The 6’3″, 232-pounder has a lot of the physical tools you’d like to see and [Mike] LaFleur is the kind of offensive mind who could get the most out of him,” Ballentine added.
For now, the Cardinals have Brissett, backup Gardner Minshew, and third-string Kedon Slovis. Minshew is recovering from a late-season injury, however.
A Look at Cole Payton
Bleacher Report had a solid draft analysis on Payton, who could be an immediate impact player in an NFL team’s offense.
“Payton is a developmental dual-threat quarterback with strong accuracy and experience running NFL/pro-style concepts. For a first-year starter, he plays with more nuance and attention to detail than expected,” B/R scout Dame Parson wrote of Payton, Ballentine shared.
Payton sat behind Miami Dolphins quarterback Cam Miller as the backup for NDSU from 2021 to 2024. Miller joined the Las Vegas Raiders as a sixth-round pick in 2025, and Payton got his turn as the starter for the Bison.
Payton completed 72% of his passes for 2,719 yards and 16 touchdowns versus four interceptions, as the Bison went 12-1. He also rushed for 777 yards and 13 touchdowns on 136 carries.
Known for his running ability, the Bison often played him on running downs before 2025. He can burst through a defense and outrun the secondary.
Payton has long runs of 73, 70, and 64 yards over the past three seasons. Overall, he has 1,918 yards and 31 touchdowns on 287 carries in 52 career games. He averaged 6.7 yards per carry for his career.
As a passer, Payton developed after minimal reps his first four years in Fargo. He has 3,188 yards for 21 touchdowns versus six interceptions, and he completed 70% of his passes with an average of 11.3 yards per play.
Why Cole Payton Could Connect With Marvin Harrison Jr.
Payton got to target a draft prospect frequently in Bison teammate and wide receiver Bryce Lance, the younger brother of Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Trey Lance.
The younger Lance didn’t miss a beat with Payton throwing him the ball versus Miller in previous years. Arizona could find a similar result for young star wideout Marvin Harrison Jr.
While the Cardinals haven’t seen the desired results from Harrison yet, Payton could replicate the chemistry he found with Lance and build the connection with Harrison. If Payton is able to unlock Harrison’s potential, the Cardinals will have more than a developmental prospect in the recent Bison star.
Cardinals Could Replace Kyler Murray With ‘Draft Gem’