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By Tyler Erzberger
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Fernando Mendoza is the best quarterback prospect in the 2026 NFL Draft, and he's being treated as such.
He won the national title with Indiana. He won the Heisman Trophy. He has earned his spot as the No. 1 overall pick in the upcoming draft to the Las Vegas Raiders.
But in five years, will Mendoza still be the top dog?
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While I've been a fan of Mendoza since he was a California Golden Bear, following in the footsteps of Aaron Rodgers and Jared Goff, it's not a surefire claim that he will be the best signal-caller from this class in a few years.
Ty Simpson of Alabama? Possible. Perhaps a Drew Allar from Penn State or Garrett Nussmeier from LSU will live up to their hypothetical ceilings.
Yet, there is one relative unknown that even a diehard football fan might have never heard of, come draft day next week, that might turn out to be the best of the bunch: Cole Payton.
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The North Dakota State project is an alien athlete who turned heads at the NFL Combine with his freaky speed and unmatched athleticism.
When it comes to pure athletes under center, no one in this year's class comes close to the Bison player, who has an NFL-level arm and legs that will give you glimpses (just glimpses) of Josh Allen when he's at his best.
So why haven't you heard of Payton?
Because he's still a gigantic project. He only started one season for the Bison and, in his previous seasons, was generally used as a gadget QB like Taysom Hill for the New Orleans Saints.
There's a chance that is what Payton turns into in the NFL. A dynamite athlete who can find a spot for himself in an innovative offense as a quasi-backup to a true franchise starter.
Yet, if Payton can go to the right franchise that will take the two to three years to develop him, he can be something special in the NFL.
Right now, he's a piece of fine clay that needs the right sculptor to turn into a masterpiece. If the right team drafts Payton, don't be surprised if, in five years, people are asking why no one was talking about him on television before the 2026 Draft.
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