The New Orleans Saints drafted wide receiver Bryce Lance from North Dakota State with the 136th pick in the 2026 NFL Draft on Saturday, April 25, 2026.
Lance, a 6-foot-3 senior from Marshall, Minn., was one of the most explosive playmakers in the FCS, earning first-team AP All-American honors in 2025 after averaging 21.2 yards per reception, ranking sixth nationally. A two-time first-team All-Missouri Valley Football Conference selection, he posted back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons and set a school record with 17 receiving touchdowns in 2024 while helping lead North Dakota State to a national championship. Lance drew significant attention during the pre-draft process with elite testing numbers, including a 4.34 40-yard dash and 41.5-inch vertical, showcasing rare big-play ability and athleticism.
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2026 NFL Combine results on Bryce Lance
Height: 6-3 3/8 | Weight: 204 | Hand Size: 9 1/4 | 40-Yard Dash: 4.34 | Vertical Jump: 41 1/2 | Broad Jump: 11-1 | Bench Press: DNP
NFL.com overview on Bryce Lance: Fifth-year senior with two seasons of explosive production as a boundary target. 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. He has run-by speed on the FCS level but won't be able to rely on pure gas to beat NFL coverage. He will have to spend more time polishing up his route work. Lance needs a more intentional route tree on the next level, but he's smart, has good ball skills and should compete for a role as a backup.
View photos of Bryce Lance after being drafted No. 136 overall by the New Orleans Saints in the 2026 NFL Draft. See images of the North Dakota State University wide receiver from his college career and pre-draft process.
North Dakota State wide receiver Bryce Lance runs a route during the second half of the FCS Championship NCAA college football game, Monday, Jan. 6, 2025, in Frisco, Texas. North Dakota State won 35-32. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
North Dakota State wide receiver Bryce Lance runs a route during the second half of the FCS Championship NCAA college football game, Monday, Jan. 6, 2025, in Frisco, Texas. North Dakota State won 35-32. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
North Dakota State wide receiver Bryce Lance reacts following the FCS Championship NCAA college football game against Montana State, Monday, Jan. 6, 2025, in Frisco, Texas. North Dakota State won 35-32. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
North Dakota State wide receiver Bryce Lance reacts after teammate quarterback Cam Miller scored a touchdown run against Montana State during the first half of the FCS Championship NCAA college football game, Monday, Jan. 6, 2025, in Frisco, Texas. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
North Dakota State wide receiver Bryce Lance (26) runs a drill at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Saturday, Feb. 28, 2026. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
North Dakota State wide receiver Bryce Lance runs a route during the second half of the FCS Championship NCAA college football game, Monday, Jan. 6, 2025, in Frisco, Texas. North Dakota State won 35-32. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
North Dakota State wide receiver Bryce Lance, right, makes a catch in front of Montana State cornerback Simeon Woodard tpduring the second half of the FCS Championship NCAA college football game, Monday, Jan. 6, 2025, in Frisco, Texas. North Dakota State won 35-32. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
North Dakota State wide receiver Bryce Lance (26) runs a drill at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Saturday, Feb. 28, 2026. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
North Dakota State wide receiver Bryce Lance, left, catches a touchdown pass in front of Montana State safety Dru Polidore (2) and a teammate during the first half of the FCS Championship NCAA college football game, Monday, Jan. 6, 2025, in Frisco, Texas. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
North Dakota State wide receiver Bryce Lance (26) participates in the vertical jump at the NFL football scouting combine, Saturday, Feb. 28, 2026, in Indianapolis. (Gregory Payan/AP Content Services for NFL)
Photo from the Youngstown State at North Dakota State football game Saturday, Nov. 1, 2025.
North Dakota State wide receiver Bryce Lance runs a route against Montana State during the second half of the FCS Championship NCAA college football game, Monday, Jan. 6, 2025, in Frisco, Texas. North Dakota State won 35-32. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
North Dakota State wide receiver Bryce Lance (26) runs the 40-yard dash at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Saturday, Feb. 28, 2026. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
Photo from the Northern Iowa at North Dakota State football game Saturday, Nov. 15, 2025.
North Dakota State wide receiver Bryce Lance (26) goes through drills at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Saturday, Feb. 28, 2026. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)
