Cole Payton to Eagles, 'Taysom Hill Clone' Joins Jalen Hurts on Depth Chart, Full Scouting Report

The Philadelphia Eagles selected versatile quarterback Cole Payton out of North Dakota State with the No. 178 overall pick in the fifth round of the 2026 NFL draft on Saturday.

An anonymous AFC scout compared Payton to longtime New Orleans Saints quarterback/tight end/running back Taysom Hill, telling NFL Network's Tom Pelissero, "Really, he's a Taysom Hill clone. If you drafted him, it's a project."

Jalen Hurts will remain the starting quarterback for the Eagles in 2026, but there is now a ton of depth behind him.

Veteran free-agent signing Andy Dalton and holdover Tanner McKee figure to compete for the main backup job with Payton perhaps playing a utility role in much the same way Hill has throughout his career.

The 23-year-old Payton was a one-year starter at FCS NDSU, completing 72.0 percent of his passes for 2,719 yards, 16 touchdowns and four interceptions, while rushing for 777 yards and 13 scores.

Payton possesses the size and athleticism NFL teams typically look for in a quarterback nowadays as well, standing 6'2 ⅝" and weighing 232 pounds, while running the 40-yard dash in 4.56 seconds at the NFL Scouting Combine.

Bleacher Report's Damian Parson added some context regarding where Payton stands entering the NFL, writing, "Cole Payton is a developmental dual-threat quarterback with strong accuracy and experience running NFL/pro-style concepts. For a first-year starter, he plays with more nuance and attention to detail than expected."

Ryan Fowler of NBC Sports Philadelphia also broke down Payton and where he could fit with the Eagles, writing, "Southpaw with easy pop to all levels with some arm arrogance to him. Outstanding** dual-threat option (29 carries of 10-plus yds in '25). Wouldn't be shocked to see some certain packages from [Eagles offensive coordinator] Sean Mannion to get him on the field. Fun player that was a standout of Senior Bowl week."

It is fair to wonder how much of a future Payton has in Philadelphia purely as a quarterback given that Hurts is signed through 2028 at starter money, but if he does take a similar career path to Hill, he could be a useful player for many years to come.

Hill spent nine seasons with the Saints, starting nine games as a quarterback and appearing in a total of 118 contests in various roles.

For his career, Hill has thrown for 2,426 yards, 12 touchdowns and nine interceptions, rushed for 2,551 yards and 34 touchdowns, and caught 110 passes for 1,034 yards and 11 touchdowns.