Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
By Ross Jackson
Every year, teams find a way to land an impressive steal in the NFL Draft. This year, the New Orleans Saints got theirs by selecting North Dakota State University (NDSU) wide receiver Bryce Lance.
The Bisons wideout landed on a lot of pre-draft radars after running a 4.34-second 40-yard dash at this year’s NFL Scouting Combine at 6-foot-3 and 204 pounds. His impressive combination of height, weight and speed are NFL-caliber traits.
But even before running at the Combine, where he also notched remarkable jumps with a 41.5-inch vertical and 11-foot-1 broad jump, his collegiate production was enough to make him draftable. He logged back-to-back 1,000-yard receiving seasons and notched 25 receiving touchdowns during his time at NDSU, a program that demands a championship standard.
“I really don’t think you compare us to (an) average FCS program,” Lance said of NDSU. “We hold ourselves to a really high standard. The standard is a national championship. I don’t care what level that is. That’s a hard thing to do. We hold ourselves to a really hard standard and we pride ourselves on doing the hard work and all the little things to achieve a championship.”
While his receiving stats back up that standard, it’s not the only display of Lance’s desire to achieve. He also highlighted his dedication as a blocker in the run game and why it’s a big part of his game that he brings to New Orleans.
“At NDSU we don’t play if you can’t block,” he said. “That was my role for a while.”
As for the Saints’ plan with him, general manager Mickey Loomis knows that there is some development to be had with any player coming up from the FCS level, but even he can’t stop himself from underlining the explosive speed and size Lance brings to the position.
“We’re adding a developmental 6-3, [4.3] player that didn’t play at power before conference,” Loomis said. “He played for North Dakota State. So there’s probably some development that we need to do there.”
Lance will enter the Saints facility and immediately be in competition for the third or fourth spot on the wide receiver depth chart.
