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Name: Cole Payton 
College: North Dakota State      Number: 9
School Bio/Stats Link: HERE
Height: 6-2   Weight: 233
Position:  Pos2: FB/ATH
Class/Draft Year: rSr/2026

40 Low: 4.52
   40 Time: 4.62
  40 High: 4.68

> Projected Round:   Stock:    


 Data Scout Notes: X-HPFA-is QB1 on team Now/Used like RPO Tebow/Thick ATH Dual Threat/66%-3-0 in 23 2024: NAC...2023: NAC...2022: NAC

Combine Invite: 
Height: 6021
Weight: 233

Zybek PD3X AKA "Official"
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225 Lb. Bench Reps: 
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Dates: 
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Height: 6021
Weight: 233
40 Yrd Dash: 
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 Cole Payton, North Dakota State, Player News


  Cole Payton threw a touchdown pass and ran for two of North Dakota State's five rushing touchdowns in the Bison's 45-17 victory over Southern Illinois on Saturday. After the Salukis opened the scoring, wide receiver Bryce Lance ran 75 yards for a score to give FCS top-ranked North Dakota State (6-0, 3-0 MVFC) a 7-3 lead. Southern Illinois went back ahead, 10-7, on a 5-yard run by Chandler Chapman to open the second quarter but the Salukis did not score again until the middle of the fourth quarter. After Chapman's TD for the Salukis, North Dakota State tied it with a field goal then added touchdowns on five consecutive possessions for a 45-10 lead.

Payton, who entered as the FCS leader in passing efficiency (221.1), completion percentage (.747), passing yards per completion (18.05) and passing yards per attempt (13.48), completed 13 of 16 passes for 243 yards. His efficiency rating was 229.5, completion percentage 81.2, yards per completion 18.7 and yards per attempt 15.2. He broke numerous tackles on his 41-yard touchdown run in the third quarter. Lance led NDSU with 75 yards rushing and 79 yards receiving. DJ Willilams had 190 yards passing for the FCS No. 9 Salukis (4-2, 1-1) and led them with 41 yards rushing. - AP College Football


(DS#24 QB) rSr/2026 QB Cole PaytonNorth Dakota State
News Source: AP College Football
Share/Comment/External News Feed: Here



  WEEK 5 MISSOURI VALLEY OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK: QB Cole Payton, North Dakota State, 6-3, 233, Sr., Omaha, Neb. (Westside HS),...Payton accounted for 375 yards of total offense and three touchdowns as top-ranked North Dakota State opened conference play with a 51-13 homecoming victory over 17th-ranked South Dakota. Payton went 14 of 18 passing for 273 yards and two TDs while rushing 11 times for 102 yards and one TD. He picked up six first downs in the run game including one fourth-and-short conversion of 11 yards and three third-down conversions running for 15 yards with seven to go, 7 with six to go, and a 21-yard scramble on third-and-17 to keep a two-minute drive alive late in the second quarter as NDSU built a 34-0 lead. - Missouri Valley Football

(DS#24 QB) rSr/2026 QB Cole PaytonNorth Dakota State
News Source: Missouri Valley Football
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  Cole Payton accounted for three touchdowns and North Dakota State rolled over South Dakota 51-13 to celebrate homecoming on Saturday. The Bison scored touchdowns on each of their five first-half possessions and led 34-3 at halftime. Nathaniel Staehling returned an interception 43 yards for a touchdown to make it 41-3 early in the third quarter. North Dakota State's only punt came with 5 1/2 minutes remaining in the game. The FCS top-ranked Bison (4-0, 1-0 Missouri Valley Football Conference) had touchdown drives of 77 and 90 yards on their first two possessions and led 13-0. They had a shorter field on their third possession and Barry Kpeenu's 6-yard run made it 20-0 barely a minute into the second quarter. At that point in the game, NDSU had a 213-38 advantage in total yards. At game's end the advantage was 547-296. North Dakota State drove 95 yards for a touchdown on the next possession, with Payton throwing to Bryce Lance for a 2-yard touchdown that made it 27-0.

Coming into the game, Payton led the FCS in passing yards per completion (18.10) and per attempt (12.84) and ranked second in passing efficiency (214.7) through his first three starts. Payton was 14-for-18 passing for 273 yards with two touchdowns and ran for 102 yards on 11 carries, with one touchdown. His passing efficiency was 241.8. The North Dakota State defense ranks first in passing defense and total defense and second in scoring defense. South Dakota (FCS No. 18, 2-3, 0-1) got a 31-yard field goal from Will Leyland on the final play of the first half and a 51-yarder from Zeke Mata in the fourth quarter. Carson Fletcher scored on a 4-yard run with about a minute remaining. - AP College Football


(DS#24 QB) rSr/2026 QB Cole PaytonNorth Dakota State
News Source: AP College Football
Share/Comment/External News Feed: Here



  Barry Kpeenu ran for three touchdowns and defending FCS champion North Dakota State beat Tennessee State 59-3 on Saturday. The FCS top-ranked Bison (2-0) rolled up 433 yards of offense and 24 first downs while holding the Tigers (1-1) to 131 yards and four first downs. Kpeenu gained 57 yards on 10 carries and scored three of the game's first four touchdowns on runs of 10, 4 and 6 yards. The score was 45-0 at halftime after a 28-point second quarter.

Cole Payton was 13 of 16 for 166 yards passing including a 3-yard score to RaJa Nelson for the final points of the first half. Nathan Hayes connected with Mekhi Collins for a 68-yard score. DJ Scott had a rushing TD. Donovan Woolen made a one-handed grab for an interception he returned 34 yards for a TD. The Tigers avoided a shutout with Freddy Perez's 45-yard field goal with four minutes remaining. The Bison have outscored their first two opponents 97-3. Three Tigers quarterbacks combined to complete 8 of 18 passes for 61 yards with an interception. Kendric Rhymes rushed for 43 yards on 12 carries. - AP College Football


(DS#24 QB) rSr/2026 QB Cole PaytonNorth Dakota State
News Source: AP College Football
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  Barika Kpeenu ran for a pair of short touchdowns, Cole Payton passed and ran his way to 293 yards offense and defending FCS national champion North Dakota State opened its season with a 38-0 win over The Citadel on Saturday. Kpeenu scored from 2 yards out to complete a 90-yard drive and Cole passed 34 yards to RaJa Nelson for a 17-0 halftime lead. Payton passed for 192 yards and a score and rushed for 101 more for the top-ranked Bison, winners of 10 FCS national championships. Nathan Hayes also passed for a touchdown. DJ Scott rushed for a score and Isiah St. Romain had a TD catch.

The Bulldogs reached Bison territory once before turning the ball over on downs at the NDSU 3 in the fourth quarter. The Bison posted their first shutout since blanking two opponents in 2021. The Bulldogs were last shut out by Georgia Southern, 34-0, to open the 2023 season. The Bison outgained the Bulldogs 520-122. This was the first meeting between the schools. The Bison are now 11-0 versus the Southern Conference. - AP College Football


(DS#24 QB) rSr/2026 QB Cole PaytonNorth Dakota State
News Source: AP College Football
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  SEPT 12 MISSOURI VALLEY PLAYER OF THE WEEK NOMINEE: QB Cole Payton, North Dakota State - One of 10 ball carriers used in the game, Payton rushed for a team-high 41 yards on four carries with one touchdown in North Dakota State's 43-3 win over North Carolina A&T. Payton averaged 10.2 yards per carry with a long of 26 yards. He scored on a 6-yard run and added a 2-point conversion on the ground to give NDSU an early 15-3 lead. Payton also went 4 of 4 passing for 22 yards in a backup role. - Missouri Valley Football

(DS#24 QB) rSr/2026 QB Cole PaytonNorth Dakota State
News Source: Missouri Valley Football
Share/Comment/External News Feed: Here