| North Dakota State Bison–No. 9 | |
|---|---|
| Position | Quarterback |
| Class |  |
| Personal information | |
| Height | 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) |
| Weight | 233 lb (106 kg) |
| Career history | |
| College |
|
| High school | Westside (Omaha, Nebraska) |
| Career highlights and awards | |
| |
Cole Payton is an American football quarterback for the North Dakota State Bison.
Payton grew up in Omaha, Nebraska and attended Westside High School. [1] He was named the Nebraska Gatorade Player of the Year after passing for 1,704 yards and 22 touchdowns while also rushing for 1,029 yards and 17 touchdowns. [2] Payton committed to play college football at North Dakota State. [3] He maintained his commitment despite late recruiting pushes from Iowa State and Nebraska. [4]
Payton played in three games during his true freshman while maintaining a redshirt on the season. [5] Payton was used in various play packages as a redshirt sophomore and rushed for 615 yards and 13 touchdowns while also completing 18 of 27 passes for 289 yards and three touchdowns. [6] Payton completed 10 of 16 passes for 123 yards with two touchdowns and one interception and rushed for 164 yards and one touchdown as a redshirt junior before suffering a season-ending injury. [7] Payton was named the starting quarterback going into his redshirt senior season. [8]