Bryce Lance Drafted 136 Overall to the New Orleans Saints

PITTSBURGH, PA (KVRR) – Bryce Lance heard his name called on day three of the 2026 NFL Draft Saturday.

The New Orleans Saints selected Lance with the 136th pick in the 4th round, marking a milestone moment in one of the most accomplished careers in North Dakota State history.

“This means everything, man,” Lance said. “I’m ready to give this organization my all. I’m just super excited. Talked to the Saints a little bit, happy with my experience with them and the coaching staff, so I’m super excited.”

Lance capped off his career with a dominant senior season in 2025. Starting all 13 games, he helped lead NDSU to a 12-1 record and a perfect 8-0 run through the Missouri Valley Football Conference, earning All-MVFC First Team honors for the second straight year. He hauled in 51 receptions for 1,079 yards and eight touchdowns, averaging a league-best 83.0 yards per game while becoming the first receiver in program history to record multiple 1,000-yard seasons.

His performance earned him consensus FCS All-America First Team recognition and a 12th-place finish in Walter Payton Award voting, while also securing an invitation to the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine.

Lance’s breakout came a year earlier during NDSU’s 2024 national championship run, when he totaled 75 catches for 1,071 yards and a school-record 17 touchdown receptions, tying the MVFC single-season mark.

“We’ve been in FCS all these years, but I really don’t think you can compare us to an average FCS program,” Lance said. “We hold ourselves to a really high standard. The standard is the national championship. I don’t care what level that is—that’s a hard thing to do. We pride ourselves on doing the hard work and all the little things to achieve a championship.”

After limited roles early in his career—including a redshirt year in 2021 and primarily special teams duties in 2022—Lance steadily developed into one of the top playmakers in the FCS. He finishes his career ranked third in school history with 25 touchdown catches and eighth with 2,157 receiving yards, while also earning multiple academic honors, including Academic All-America recognition, solidifying his impact both on and off the field.

Lance is just the second Bison wide receiver to be drafted in the Division I era, joining Christian Watson, who was selected 34th overall in the 2nd round of the 2022 NFL Draft by the Green Bay Packers.