TimTebow

Zach Berman·May 6

Payton was the only quarterback at the rookie minicamp, so he received considerable attention from offensive coordinator Sean Mannion and

quarterbacks coach Parks Frazier. There was not much to interpret from Payton’s practice session (with a camera affixed to his helmet), although it looked different seeing a left-handed quarterback. Payton might be the first lefty quarterback at an Eagles practice since Tim Tebow. Michael Vick was the last one in a game. Payton didn’t think his left-handedness required any adjustments for the offense — it can change the side for which the quarterback is apt to roll out, which is a part of Payton’s game — and Sirianni said the only difference is it can be difficult for coaches to demonstrate drills. When Payton practices next, he’ll be fourth in the quarterback rotation behind Jalen Hurts, Tanner McKee and Andy Dalton. Howie Roseman said he’s not opposed to keeping four quarterbacks. That would break convention for the Eagles; it would need to be a situation in which Payton demonstrates clear down-the-road potential and the Eagles do not draw a strong trade offer for McKee or Dalton. (And if they believe Dalton provides value as the No. 3 quarterback.) “If that’s what the team wants, if that’s what the team needs, I’m all for it,” said Payton, with a Tayson Hill-type role the root of the question. This seems unlikely. Even if Payton makes the roster, the Eagles would need to dress more than two quarterbacks. They seldom do that, especially when they can designate an emergency quarterback. If that were the case, Payton would likely need to present special teams value. Unlike most quarterbacks, Payton actually has special teams experience.

TJ Wengert·Feb 18

He is an interesting evaluation because I came to his tape relatively late, but the physical profile stands out. He is 6'2", 229 pounds, has a big arm, and can move. More importantly, he carries that weight extremely well. He is a legitimately mobile athlete for his size and can stress defenses with his legs. Mechanically, the biggest concern on tape has been a Tim Tebow–style loopy windup. He drops the ball too low, the motion gets long, and it delays his release. That shows up in timing windows and allows defenders to close. At the Senior Bowl, I saw some encouraging signs. The ball was coming out quicker, and his release point looked more compact than what showed up consistently on college tape. It is still not fast enough, but the fact that it is already trending in the right direction suggests he is actively working on his mechanics and taking ownership of his development. That matters with a prospect like this. Payton profiles as the most intriguing true “draft-and-stash” quarterback in the class. He is not close to being ready to play meaningful NFL snaps, and there is no guarantee the upside ever fully hits. But in terms of raw tools—arm strength, size, mobility—he offers a more interesting long-term ceiling than most late-Day 3 options. If you are betting on what a quarterback could look like in two to three years with patient development, Payton has one of the more compelling tool sets in the class. The path is narrow, but the upside is real enough to justify a fourth-round investment.