Eagles 5h round pick Cole Payton arrives with respect for Jalen Hurts

The Philadelphia Eagles have never been shy about returning to a familiar well. They did so again in the 2026 NFL Draft. One decision led them back to the North Dakota State Bison. With the No. 178 overall selection, they added quarterback Cole Payton, continuing a pipeline that has already produced one of the program's most recognizable NFL names.

Payton cut his teeth in a collegiate program that also produced Carson Wentz. They share more than just a school connection. The two are also represented by the same agency, and their paths have crossed before. That connection left an impression. Another on the edge of its beginning has produced another. Payton is a huge fan of Jalen Hurts.

Cole Payton can't wait to work with Jalen Hurts.

Payton didn't hesitate to discuss Wentz's impact, crediting him with helping to put North Dakota State football on the national map. For a program that has quietly become a quarterback factory, like the one he just joined, that kind of acknowledgment carries weight. It also speaks to Payton's awareness of the standard he’s stepping into. Now, he arrives in a quarterback room led by Jalen Hurts, a player whose journey offers a different, but equally compelling blueprint.

“Jalen Hurts is a winner, a competitor, definitely a guy I look up to,” Payton said while speaking to the Philadelphia media via a Zoom meeting. “I’m excited to pick his brain and learn from him and the rest of the guys in the room.”

Payton isn't being asked to carry the franchise. He's being asked to develop, absorb, adapt, and grow within one of the league's more stable quarterback environments. His athleticism and versatility give him intriguing upside, but it’s his willingness to learn that could ultimately define his trajectory. The Eagles didn't just add another arm late in the draft. They added a player who understands where he comes from—and more importantly, where he needs to go. If history is any indication, that North Dakota State connection is never just a coincidence.

This article originally appeared on Eagles Wire: Eagles 5h round pick Cole Payton arrives with respect for Jalen Hurts