Why Vikings Drafting a QB Day 3 Just Makes Sense
While the Minnesota Vikings will hang their hat on J.J. McCarthy or a veteran when it comes to quarterback in 2026, it makes too much sense for the purple to go after a much-hyped quarterback in the draft.
That’s North Dakota State’s Cole Payton, who has impressed draft scouts and analysts left and right of late. Payton had a stellar senior season at the former FCS powerhouse-turned FBS program, and he impressed scouts at the Senior Bowl in January.
He’s generally considered a Day Three pick, and the Vikings could find a big, physical offensive player who could provide a spark similar to Taysom Hill of the New Orleans Saints. Hill played quarterback at BYU and served as Drew Brees’ backup at one point, but his versatility made him a valuable player for the Saints.
Hill, now listed as a tight end, has 2,551 yards and 35 touchdowns rushing on 489 carries in his career, and he has 1,034 yards and 11 touchdowns receiving in eight seasons. As a passer, Hill has a 7-2 record and has thrown for 2,426 yards and 12 touchdowns. Furthermore, he has shown up on special teams with 15 tackles, nine fumble recoveries, and 489 return yards.
The 6-foot-2, 221-pound undrafted veteran does it all for the Saints, and Payton brings similar traits to the field. Payton is 6-foot-3 and 233 pounds, so slightly bigger in size, and he outmuscled and outran FCS defenses for five seasons in Fargo.
He has 1,919 yards rushing and 31 touchdowns on 287 carries, and Payton had a run of 64 or more yards in each of the past three seasons. NDSU featured him as a runner between 2021 and 2024 behind former Bison quarterback Cam Miller, now a backup with the Miami Dolphins.
Payton became the starter in 2025, and he completed 72% of his passes for 2,719 yards and 16 touchdowns versus four interceptions. He never had a higher completion rate than 66.7% before 2025, as he rarely threw the ball in his first four seasons, with just 58 attempts.
Payton also showed good receiving hands with three catches for 19 yards, albeit a small sample size for his career. Such skills have led to speculation that Payton could take a similar route to that of Hill in the NFL.
Minnesota, which dealt with injuries to a pair of quarterbacks last season, could use the depth and wrinkle in the offense. Payton would give the Vikings versatility and a physical runner who could also catch opponents off guard and drop back to pass, including deep shots.
While Payton never had the chance to play a full FBS schedule, many FCS players have thrived in the NFL. The Vikings have a few notable ones in franchise history, such as defensive end Jared Allen from Idaho State and wide receiver Randy Moss from Marshall.
Minnesota has tried inserting an athletic quarterback before, too. That happened in the 2010s with Joe Webb, an athlete who had lots of agility and speed.
Webb gave the Vikings a few highlights between 2010 and 2013, but his numbers were modest: 273 rushing yards and 4 touchdowns, averaging 6.7 yards per carry. He caught 6 passes for 42 yards, too.
Webb wasn’t a great passer, with a 57.9% completion rate for 853 yards and three touchdowns in 33 career games with the Vikings. Payton, likewise, isn’t considered a great passer, and he is considered a project for a team picking him up, and therefore not a starter.
That said, Payton may be just the project the Vikings need to find an extra spark on offense in 2026.
