Who Is Cole Payton? The NFL Draft’s mysterious QB riser explained

You've heard of the usual list of subjects at quarterback in this year's NFL Draft – Fernando Mendoza, Ty Simpson, Diego Pavia, Garrett Nussmeier, and so forth – but you may not have heard of Cole Payton. But he could end up being the best value of the draft at the signal-caller position.

Payton comes from the FCS level in college, coming from the storied program at North Dakota State, which has produced numerous other NFL stars. He put in stellar efforts at the Senior Bowl and the Combine, and Payton has since visited numerous teams, with visits on record with the Colts and the Steelers, and reports that he "met extensively" with the Cardinals, Eagles, and Jets.

Analysts are buzzing about Payton ahead of the draft as well, with draft expert Todd McShay calling him the best of the five quarterbacks from the program that have been drafted, even ahead of Carson Wentz. Meanwhile, Dane Brugler of The Athletic described him as a "dynamic dual-threat" with "promising qualities" for a developmental player. Payton has also hired a former college and NFL quarterback to help coach him leading up to the draft, bringing in Jake Heaps.

"I really believed in his talents and what he could do and how that translates to the next level," said Heaps.

Currently, there are questions about his experience, with just 13 starts under his belt at the collegiate level, and what has been described as "inconsistent mechanics." However, he is currently still projected as a Day 3 draft selection.

This article originally appeared on Touchdown Wire: Who Is Cole Payton? The NFL Draft’s mysterious QB riser explained