North Dakota State quarterback Cole Payton jumped 40 inches in the vertical leap at the 2026 NFL Combine—only two quarterbacks have ever jumped higher in Combine history: Anthony Richardson (40.5 inches in 2023) and Taylen Green (43.5 inches in 2026). The 6-foot-3, 232-pound quarterback also recorded a 10-foot-10-inch broad jump, the second-longest ever by a quarterback, falling just four inches short of Green’s record from the same day. His overall athletic score, called a Relative Athletic Score (RAS), came in at 9.97 out of 10—ranking him fourth out of 1,054 quarterbacks tested since 1987.
The Recruit Nebraska Overlooked
Jan 31, 2026; Mobile, AL, USA; National quarterback Cole Payton (9) of North Dakota State runs the ball during the first half of the 2026 Senior Bowl at University of South Alabama, Hancock Whitney Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vasha Hunt-Imagn Images
Coming out of high school, Payton was rated as just a two-star recruit at Omaha Westside High School in Nebraska. Even though he won the state’s Gatorade Player of the Year award in 2020, neither Nebraska nor Iowa State offered him a scholarship that stuck. He chose North Dakota State over schools like South Dakota State, Dartmouth, and Illinois State. Looking back, Nebraska’s failure to land him stands out, since his athletic testing now puts him in the top 0.4% of all quarterbacks ever measured at the Combine.
A High School Star Hiding in Plain Sight
Payton wasn’t a no-name kid from a small town. He started for three years at Omaha Westside, where he threw for 5,338 yards and 65 touchdowns and ran for 2,122 yards and 37 touchdowns. He helped lead Westside to a 31-5 record and a Class A state title. Being named the best high school football player in the state of Nebraska should have been enough to get the Cornhuskers’ attention—but it wasn’t.
Waiting for His Turn at NDSU
Feb 28, 2026; Indianapolis, IN, USA; North Dakota State quarterback Cole Payton (QB15) during the NFL Scouting Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
Instead of transferring for a starting job somewhere else, Payton committed to NDSU in 2021 and was patient. He sat out his first year as a redshirt, then spent the next three seasons as a backup, mostly running the ball in special packages. Across his full five-year college career, he rushed 287 times for 1,919 yards and 31 touchdowns—all while learning behind other starters at the same school that developed Carson Wentz, Trey Lance, and Easton Stick.
One Year as the Starter Was Enough
Jan 31, 2026; Mobile, AL, USA; National quarterback Cole Payton (9) of North Dakota State throws the ball during the second half of the 2026 Senior Bowl at University of South Alabama, Hancock Whitney Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vasha Hunt-Imagn Images
When Payton finally became NDSU’s full-time starter in 2025, he delivered immediately. He passed for 2,719 yards with 16 touchdowns and only four interceptions, completing 71.9% of his throws. He also ran for 777 yards and 13 touchdowns. Along the way, he broke NDSU’s single-season records for passing efficiency (193.8), yards per attempt (12.1), and total offense per play (9.71)—and the team went 12-0 in the regular season.
He Dominated Every Test
Feb 28, 2026; Indianapolis, IN, USA; North Dakota State quarterback Cole Payton (QB15) during the NFL Scouting Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
Payton’s Combine performance wasn’t just about one big jump. He ran the 40-yard dash in 4.56 seconds (third among quarterbacks), clocked a 1.57-second 10-yard split (also third), finished the 3-cone drill in 7.12 seconds (second), and ran the 20-yard shuttle in 4.36 seconds (third). His overall athleticism score of 83 ranked fourth among all quarterbacks at the 2026 Combine.
What His 9.97 Score Really Means
Feb 28, 2026; Indianapolis, IN, USA; North Dakota State quarterback Cole Payton (QB15) during the NFL Scouting Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
The Relative Athletic Score combines every drill result into a single number between 0 and 10, measured against every quarterback tested since 1987. Payton’s 9.97 means only three quarterbacks out of more than a thousand have ever tested better overall. That puts a small-school FCS quarterback in the same athletic class as some of the most explosive signal-callers the NFL has ever seen.
NFL Teams Are Paying Attention
Feb 27, 2026; Indianapolis, IN, USA; North Dakota State quarterback Cole Payton (QB15) speaks to members of the media during the NFL Combine at the Indiana Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Jacob Musselman-Imagn Images
Payton’s testing got the attention of NFL front offices right away. The Detroit Lions held a formal sit-down meeting with him at the Combine—reportedly the only quarterback they met with. The Chicago Bears also set up a meeting, with some viewing Payton as a developmental quarterback option. Before the Combine, most mock drafts had him going late on Day 3; now he’s being mentioned as a possible Round 3 pick.
A Rare Left-Handed Prospect
Jan 28, 2026; Mobile, AL, USA; National Team quarterback Cole Payton (9) of North Dakota State passes during National Senior Bowl practice at Hancock Whitney Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vasha Hunt-Imagn Images
Payton throws left-handed, which is uncommon in the NFL and makes his evaluation more interesting. Scouts like his quick, compact throwing motion and his footwork on short and mid-range passes, though some question his arm strength on deep throws. He also played through a broken left thumb he suffered during NDSU’s playoff loss to Illinois State, yet still competed at both the Senior Bowl and the Combine. ESPN’s Jordan Reid called him the best quarterback on the first day of Senior Bowl practices.
Proof That Nebraska Got It Wrong
Feb 28, 2026; Indianapolis, IN, USA; North Dakota State quarterback Cole Payton (QB15) during the NFL Scouting Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
At the Senior Bowl, Payton kept things simple when asked about the doubters: “I don’t write articles, and my play on the field is my only answer. I’m a quarterback.” That quote now carries the weight of a 40-inch vertical, a 9.97 RAS, and the third-best athletic testing by a quarterback in Combine history. Nebraska had the state’s best high school player right in their own backyard—and let him walk to Fargo. With the 2026 NFL Draft just weeks away, Payton’s decision to stay loyal to NDSU has been proven right in the most measurable way possible.
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Sources:
Sports Illustrated (FCS Football Central), “2026 NFL Scouting Combine Results: North Dakota State QB Cole Payton,” February 28, 2026
Heavy Sports, “QB Cole Payton Makes History at NFL Combine,” February 27, 2026
Pro Football Network, “Cole Payton College Stats: The Numbers Behind NDSU’s Next QB,” January 30, 2026
Steelers Depot, “2026 NFL Draft Scouting Report: North Dakota State QB Cole Payton,” February 22, 2026
NFL.com, “Cole Payton runs official 4.56-second 40-yard dash at 2026 combine,” March 1, 2026
247Sports, “Cole Payton Recruiting Profile,” 2021
