Daniel Jones revitalized his career in 2025, although his torn Achilles has put his immediate future in doubt. Meanwhile, Anthony Richardson seems destined to be playing elsewhere in 2026. In other words, the Colts’ QBs room remains a major question mark, so it shouldn’t be a surprise that the team is eyeing the position ahead of the draft.
According to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, the Colts hosted North Dakota State QB Cole Payton on a visit today. This represents the second reported visit for the prospect, as the Steelers hosted Payton last month.
The quarterback was mostly used in rushing packages through his first four collegiate seasons. This was especially apparent during the 2023 campaign, when he had 84 rushing attempts (for 615 yards and 13 touchdowns) vs. only 27 pass attempts. However, he finally got a chance to start under center as a redshirt senior.
Anthony had a breakout campaign in 2025. He completed 72 percent of his passes for 2,719 yards, 16 touchdowns, and only four interceptions. While his rushing efficiency dropped a bit, he still managed to compile 777 rushing yards and 13 touchdowns. That performance earned him a second-team All-MVFC nod.
Cole’s dual-threat ability and sturdy frame has put him on the NFL radar, and there were some rumblings in February that the QB was rising up draft boards. At the same time, scouts continue to question his passing mechanics and ability to read a defense. The North Dakota State product will surely hear his name called during the draft, but there’s a chance he falls all the way to Day 3.
If he does land with the Colts, that would likely make him a developmental piece, although that would still be an intriguing landing spot for the prospect. The Colts showed some faith in Jones by handing him a two-year, $88MM extension this offseason. However, the player’s iffy track record and current injury warrants some doubt about his long-term role atop the depth chart. There was once hope that Richardson would be the team’s long-term solution at the position, but the former fourth-overall pick has disappointed during his time in Indy, leading many to believe that he’ll be playing elsewhere in 2026.
That’s all to say that the Colts are a logical landing spot for a developmental QB. The team won’t immediately displace Jones with an early-round signal caller, but Payton would be a notable selection as someone who can quietly work on their game before eventually taking over the job.