Sportsnaut
With the New York Jets, Las Vegas Raiders, and New Orleans Saints expected to take a quarterback early in April’s NFL Draft, a new report reveals an intriguing sleeper option for all three teams.
While we are only a third of the way through the NFL season, franchises are deep into their fall scouting for potential top prospects in the 2026 NFL Draft. Just like every other year during this century, talent evaluators are tracking the progress of QBs around the country and on the hunt for a hidden gem in college football.
Well, on Tuesday, SportsKeeda’s Tony Pauline pointed to one player who could soon join the likes of LaNorris Sellers, Garrett Nussmeier, Fernando Mendoza, and Dante Moore as the best QBs in the 2026 NFL Draft class.
“Taking over for Cam Miller, the former NDSU quarterback now residing on the practice squad of the Las Vegas Raiders, was no small task, yet Cole Payton seamlessly slipped into the starting role and has played brilliantly. He has the Bison at a perfect 6-0 and atop the FCS rankings midway through the season,” Pauline wrote.
“Large and athletic with a strong arm, Payton makes all the throws and has shown great improvement in his game. He’s completed 76% of his throws for 1,416 yards with 10 touchdowns and no interceptions. Payton has also rushed for 404 yards, adding five more scores to his tally. Accurate and a great leader on offense.”
Pauline believes Payton will be a Day 3 pick in April. However, we are only at the halfway point in college football. If he keeps putting up the numbers that he has this year, it would be no surprise for him to fly up draft boards and be a contender to go in Round 1 or 2. Especially if certain prospects fall on draft boards once the pre-draft process begins next spring.
The Jets, Raiders, and Saints head into Week 7 of the NFL season with some lousy records, and they are likely to have premium picks in every round of the draft. Furthermore, while all three teams need a potential franchise QB, they have other needs to address.
They could feel they would be better off using their first pick on the best players available at other positions. In that case, Payton could be a top choice with their selections in Rounds 2 or 3. Either way, he is one to watch in the months ahead and could be the sleeper QB of the 2026 class.
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