PHILADELPHIA — It shouldn’t be surprising that the Eagles drafted North Dakota State quarterback Cole Payton in the fifth round of the 2026 NFL Draft last month. The self-branded “Quarterback Factory” has long embraced the Ron Wolf mantra: swing aggressively at the league’s most critical position whenever value presents itself. For the third time in four seasons, GM Howie Roseman got the bat off his shoulder and pulled the trigger on a developmental talent with legitimate star potential. In a wide-open 2026 quarterback class that produced high-upside picks at the top of the board, Payton quietly became one of the more intriguing Day 3 options. At 6-foot-3 and 232 pounds, Payton possesses the prototypical size and athleticism that excites evaluators. He ran a 4.68 in the 40-yard dash at the combine with a 35-inch vertical and elite short-area quickness for a player his size.…