Eagles Eye Wild Card QB Cole Payton

0:00It's April 20th. This is NFL News today, AI-powered stories shaping the season. Philadelphia Eagles got their eyes on a wild car quarterback for the 2026 NFL Draft, North Dakota State's Cole Payton. This left-handed dude's a dual-threat beast, not here to bench Jalen Hertz, but he's lighting up scouts with his wheels. Last season, he hits 71.2% of his passes for 2,719 yards, 16 touchdowns, and just four. Six. Then on the ground, he balled out with 894 rushing yards, 13 scores, averaging 7.5 yards of carry. The Eagles already sat down for deep meetings with Payton, per reports from Aaron Wilson. He's only started one year in North Dakota State. The bison program that pumps out pros, but his athleticism screams upside-over pure arm talent. Fans and analysts buzzing about how he fits Philly's scheme, maybe not as a stray pocket passer, but a touch-push specialist or red-zone hammer-two.

1:00Keep Hertz safe from those sneaky injuries. His build and speed make him a nightmare in short yardage, adding real juice to the offense without messing with the starter. Word is, Payton might flip to tight in long-term if QB doesn't stick, which amps his value even more. But what Eagles needing safeties, mime men, receivers, and ed rushers, a day-to-pick feel steep. Day-3 makes way more sense for their contender. Push. The sensitivity got team circling, so Philly grabbing him late could be that sneaky move turning heads come draught night.