NFL Draft: Another QB? Eagles roll the dice on Cole Payton of North Dakota State
Also add depth in trenches on Day 3
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PHILADELPHIA — The Eagles spent the first two days of the NFL draft hunting immediate impact. Day 3 was about something else: upside, depth and long-term development.
Philadelphia wrapped up the draft Saturday by reinforcing the offensive line and adding several late-round defensive projects. But the headliner was the surprising selection of another dual-threat quarterback from North Dakota State — Cole Payton — 10 years after they drafted Carson Wentz as the second overall pick.
The Eagles opted for the 6-foot-3. 232-pound Payton in the fifth round (No. 178 overall). In 13 starts with the Bison last year, he rushed for 777 yds on 136 attempts. He also completed 162 of 225 passes (72%) for 2,719 yds and 16 touchdowns with just one interception.
It was a curious move considering the Eagles still believe in Tanner McKee, 25, who backed up Jalen Hurts last season, and that they recently acquired 38-year-old Andy Dalton.
“We just felt that this was a player that we wanted to take based on the way the board fell,” general manager Howie Roseman said. “When you’re sitting there and a player that you like — regardless of position — is sitting there, you don’t want to pass on him.
“Really, really athletic. Really good with the ball in his hands in the quarterback run game. Made great decisions with the football. Accurate passer. … But there are some wild plays on his tape that are really impressive. I think I charted four times he jumps over somebody or wrote down a bunch of times, ‘He’s the best player on the field.’”
The GM said Payton was the top remaining player on the Eagles’ draft board in that slot, adding he’s not opposed to keeping four QBs on the roster.
“We’re open to carrying four quarterbacks, for sure,” Roseman said. “If you talk about it being the most important position in sports and you have four good ones, why wouldn’t you keep ‘em?”
The 23-year-old Payton — a left-handed thrower — was the 2020 Nebraska Gatorade Player of the Year as a senior at Westside High School in Omaha. He received interest from Iowa State and University of Nebraska, but neither program offered him a scholarship.
He was a backup in college until 2025. In a Zoom conference with reporters in Philadelphia, he discussed what it was like to wait his turn.
“It was tough,” Payton said. “It wasn’t easy, for sure, being the competitor I am. I just love football. … People asked, why didn’t you transfer? It was because I believed in NDSU — the pro-style offense, the fact that they’ve sent so many guys to the NFL. I felt, looking ahead, that I had one year and I was gonna make the most of that one year.
“I’m just so excited to be an Eagle and get to work and compete and improve and learn and grow.”
Payton, who received scholarship offers to play basketball out of high school, turned heads during the football pre-draft process. He ran a 4.56 40-yard dash and posted a 40-inch vertical leap — rare numbers for a quarterback his size.
“He’s a really tough football player,” coach Nick Sirianni said. “You see it when he runs, when he finishes runs, when he competes. And obviously he’s got the arm talent and the athleticism that give you a lot to work with.”
O-line depth
The Eagles continued to invest in the trenches by selecting Georgia guard Micah Morris in the sixth round.
At 6-foot-5, 330 pounds, Morris brings size and versatility after playing both guard positions (and some tackle) for the Bulldogs.
The Eagles have long prioritized building offensive line depth through the draft, and Morris fits that model as a developmental interior lineman who could compete for a backup role early in his career.
International intrigue
An intriguing move came late in the seventh round at No. 251, when the Eagles took Nigerian-born defensive lineman Uar Bernard.
Bernard, 21, has never played organized football but impressed scouts with extraordinary athletic traits during the NFL’s International Player Pathway program.
“We wanted to take a chance on the kid,” Roseman said.
Bernard is 6-4, 306 with just 6% body fat. During the pre-draft process, he displayed a 4.63 40, a 39-inch vertical and a 10-foot-10 broad jump.”
“Obviously, he has a lot of tools in his body,” Roseman said. “We understand it’s going to take time. It’s going to take a lot of time here. But it’s pretty cool. We spend a lot of time talking about ‘unusual,’ and there’s certainly unusual with that guy.”
The Eagles have previously found success with international players, most notably Australian rugby convert Jordan Mailata, who developed into a Pro Bowl left tackle.
“It’s a dream come true for me because I’ve worked hard for this,” Bernard, wrapped in a Nigerian flag, said in a Zoom conference. “I’ve not played football before but I’ve gone through some drills that made me believe I’m going to get better every day. I appreciate God, thank God for everything. Thank God for life, thank God for the opportunity he’s given me to be drafted by the Eagles.”
Answer at safety? More edge help
The Eagles, who chose not to re-sign safety Reed Blankenship, drafted safety Cole Wisniewski (6-4, 220) in the seventh round out of Texas Tech. He’s a physical player who makes lots of plays around the line of scrimmage.
Last season with the Red Raiders — who went 12-2 and reached the Orange Bowl — Wisniewski rang up 78 tackles (38 solo, six TFL), six passes defended, two forced fumbles and a sack. Taken at No. 244, the 24-year-old could be a long shot, but Blankenship was an undrafted free agent four years ago.
The Eagles used their final pick to select New Mexico edge rusher Keyshawn James-Newby.
James-Newby led the Lobos with 15 tackles for loss and nine sacks in 2025 and earned attention from scouts for his burst and relentless motor. At 6-1, 240, he’s undersized compared to many NFL edge rushers, but his production and energy could translate into a situational pass-rush role if he performs well in camp.
Follow Christiaan DeFranco on X and Threads at @the_defranc.