Bryce Lance, Wide receiver, North Dakota State
Bryce Lance is widely regarded as a top FCS prospect, especially with two FCS national champions on his resume.
North Dakota State has churned out an immense amount of NFL talent from the FCS ranks, with five players drafted in the first two rounds since 2021. Lance should be considered the best receiver to come from the program since Green Bay Packers’ Christian Watson, who Lance played with as an underclassman.
In Lance’s two seasons starting for the Fighting Bison, he racked up 2,132 receiving yards and 25 total touchdowns. Like Hurst, his large frame matched with blazing speed is his superpower.
“Fifth-year senior with two seasons of explosive production as a boundary target,” NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein wrote. “Lance lacks release quickness/short-area agility as a route-runner but possesses outstanding ball skills and positional instincts that allow him to create catch space.
The receiver rose his draft stock tremendously at the Combine as he was one of four wideouts since 2003 to measure 6-foot-3 or taller, run a sub-4.4 40-yard dash and have a 40-inch-plus vertical jump.
He has his brother Trey as a mentor, who was a first-round pick in 2021 and is currently the backup quarterback behind Justin Herbert for the Los Angeles Chargers.
