If North Dakota State quarterback Trey Lance and offensive lineman Dillon Radunz are both selected in the first round of the 2021 NFL Draft, it would be the first time since 2008 the FCS had two players taken in the opening round. It would be just the second time an FCS program had two first-rounders in the same year.
Jackson State saw two players selected in the first round in 2000 — WR Sylvester Morris and DB Rashard Anderson.
Tennessee State DB Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie and Delaware QB Joe Flacco were selected in the 2008 opening round.
The FCS has had just two first-rounders since 2008 — NDSU QB Carson Wentz in 2016 and Alabama State OL Tytus Howard in 2019.
Lance is a lock to go on Day 1 this year. ESPN’s Mel Kiper has him going No. 9 to Denver, CBS Sports’ Chris Trapasso has Lance going No. 7 to Denver (in a mock trade with Detroit), and Pro Football Network’s Mike Tanier thinks Lance goes No. 4 to Atlanta.
Radunz is a more fringe Day 1 prospect and is a top-50 pick in most mock drafts.
Pro Football Focus named Radunz one of four players who could be surprising first-round selections. He ranks No. 28 on PFF’s Big Board, and the website states “A strong Senior Bowl where he finished the week as the highest-graded tackle in attendance only strengthened his claim to be one of the first tackles to come off the board.”
Potential first-round landing spots for Radunz are No. 24 (Pittsburgh), No. 25 (Jacksonville), or No. 31 (Kansas City).
The 2021 NFL Draft begins Thursday, April 29 and ends Saturday, May 1.
