Cole Payton: Steelers' Late-Round QB Gamble?

0:00On March 30th, the 2026 NFL draft is less than a month away, and the Pittsburgh Steelers might grab a quarterback late in rounds 4 through 7. One prospect turning heads is Cole Payton from North Dakota State, a 6-foot-3-232-pound dual thread with a sixth round. Projection Payton only started one full season at the FCS level in 2025, but he lit it up after limited college experience earlier. His build and poise under pressure stand out, plus he's got that deep ball accuracy that makes defenses sweat. Scouts love his rushing chops, 31 career touchdowns on the ground, but there are flags like shaky passing mechanics, trouble reading zone. Coverages and more fumbles as his snaps increased. Still, for a day 3 pick, he brings upside to a Steelers squad hunting backup potential. Diving into the numbers from 2025, he threw for 2,719 yards, 16 touchdowns, just 4 picks,

1:01at 72% completion, and a 193.4 passer rating. Add in nearly 2,000 rushing yards over his career, and he's a mobile wildcard. As the draft nears, keep watching how Pittsburgh weighs these late round arms, Payton's story could be the next hit and gym to shake up their depth. Chart, football news, powered by AI. This is NFL News Today.