INDIANAPOLIS — NFL Network analyst Daniel Jeremiah had a premonition former North Dakota State receiver Bryce Lance would test well in the 40-yard dash Friday at Lucas Oil Stadium.
"Bryce is going to be very fast for a wideout," said NFL Network's Daniel Jeremiah during the live broadcast. "He can roll."
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The 6-foot-3, 204-pound Lance was clocked a 4.34 seconds in the 40 during the NFL Scouting Combine. He drew some applause from those in the crowd after he ran that time, which ranked 5th overall among wide receivers.
"He's got long speed," Jeremiah added. "Once he gets you in a trail position, you're not going to catch up."
Lance and former Bison quarterback Cole Payton both tested well Saturday during the Combine. The 6-foot-3, 232-pound Payton was clocked at 4.56 seconds in the 40, which was third among quarterbacks.
"He can run," Jeremiah said before Payton's 40.
NFL: Combine
North Dakota State quarterback Cole Payton (QB15) participates in on-field drills at the NFL Scouting Combine on Saturday, Feb. 28, 2026, at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.
Kirby Lee / IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Arkansas QB Taylen Green had the top time in the position group at 4.36 seconds. Mississippi State's Brenen Thompson paced the receivers in the 40 with a 4.26.
Payton also had a 40-inch vertical, which was second behind Green (43.5) and a 10-foot-10 broad jump, which was also second to Green's 11-2.
"Cole Payton was the most impressive QB I heard at the podium and in interviews yesterday. We'll see how he throws, but he could make a real run for QB3," wrote CBS Sports analyst Mike Renner on social media.
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Indiana's Fernando Mendoza is considered the top QB prospect and is likely to be selected at No. 1 overall, while Alabama's Ty Simpson is widely recognized as the No. 2 prospect for the upcoming NFL Draft, which is slated for April 23-25 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
Lance had a 41.5-inch vertical, which was fourth among wide receivers who tested Saturday. He was tied for third in the position group with an 11-1 in the broad jump. He was second in the 20-yard shuttle with a time of 4.15 seconds.
Both Lance and Payton also had strong marks for the Relative Athletic Score (RAS) grades for NFL prospects, which is based on a scale of 1-through-10 based on height and weight and various testing scores. Kent Lee Platte developed the ranking.
Both had elite RAS.
Lance scored a 9.98, which is ranked No. 7 out of 3,844 wide receivers who were scored on the scale from 1987-2026. Former Bison receiver Christian Watson had a 9.96 RAS in 2022. Watson now plays for the Green Bay Packers.
NFL: Combine
North Dakota State wideout Bryce Lance (WO26) takes part in the vertical jump at the NFL Scouting Combine on Saturday, Feb. 28, 2026, at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.
Kirby Lee / IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Payton scored a 9.97, which ranked No. 4 out of 1,054 quarterbacks that were graded from 1987-2026. Among Payton's athletic comparables are Central Florida's Daunte Culpepper (9.96 in 1999), Baylor's Robert Griffin III (9.91 in 2012) and Oregon's Marcus Mariota (9.95 in 2015).
Earlier this week, CBS Sports HQ analyst Emory Hunt had Lance graded as a second-round prospect and Payton as a Day 3 value. Rounds 4-7 are on the third and final day of the draft.
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During passing drills Saturday, Payton uncorked a deep ball of a simulated play-action pass that Lance caught in stride downfield.
"That's Cole Payton's best throw," Jeremiah said during the live broadcast.
NFL: Combine
North Dakota State quarterback Cole Payton (QB15) runs a 40-yard dash during the NFL Scouting Combine on Saturday, Feb. 28, 2026, at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.
Kirby Lee / IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
NFL: Combine
North Dakota State wideout Bryce Lance (WO26) catches the ball during the NFL Scouting Combine on Saturday, Feb. 28, 2026, at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.
Kirby Lee / IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
NFL: Combine
North Dakota State wideout Bryce Lance (WO26) runs the 40-yard dash during the NFL Scouting Combine on Saturday, Feb. 28, 2026, at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.
Kirby Lee / IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
NFL: Combine
North Dakota State quarterback Cole Payton (QB15) prepares to run a 40-yard dash during the NFL Scouting Combine on Saturday, Feb. 28, 2026, at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.
Kirby Lee / IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
NFL: Combine
North Dakota State quarterback Cole Payton (QB15) throws the ball during the NFL Scouting Combine on Saturday, Feb. 28, 2026, at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.
Kirby Lee / IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
NFL: Combine
North Dakota State wideout Bryce Lance (WO26) catches the ball during the NFL Scouting Combine on Saturday, Feb. 28, 2026, at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.
Kirby Lee / IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
NFL: Combine
North Dakota State quarterback Cole Payton (QB15) participates in on-field drills during the NFL Scouting Combine on Saturday, Feb. 28, 2026, at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.
Kirby Lee / IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Eric Peterson
By Eric Peterson
Peterson covers college athletics for The Forum, including Concordia College and Minnesota State Moorhead. He also covers the Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks independent baseball team and helps out with North Dakota State football coverage. Peterson has been working at the newspaper since 1996.