FARGO — North Dakota State senior offensive tackle Dillon Radunz plans to play his final football game with the Bison this fall, and then turn his focus to preparing for the NFL, he announced Friday, Aug. 28, via social media.
“I had the opportunity to transfer, but I can’t envision myself playing anywhere else,” Radunz said in a video posted on the official NDSU football Twitter account. “I’ve been blessed to have the opportunity to start training for the NFL as well. I have worked hard to finish my degree and be a graduate of NDSU this semester and then at that point my intentions are to begin my pursuit of the NFL.”
NDSU is scheduled to host Central Arkansas on Oct. 3 at Gate City Bank Field at the Fargodome, the lone game the Bison are scheduled to play during the fall season. The Missouri Valley Football Conference moved its league games to the spring due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The Bison have won eight of the past nine Division I FCS national championships, including the past three titles.
One more game. Forever a Bison. #KHCO #ECMF #Bisonpride https://t.co/PGxYJesrMM
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“The excitement I had for this upcoming season is like no excitement I have ever experienced. From the day after we won the national championship, I’ve been envisioning and preparing for what this season would look like,” Radunz said. “I have dreamt of suiting up with my brothers and winning another Missouri Valley conference championship while having the common goal of hoisting that national championship trophy one more time, but this time as a senior.”
The 6-foot-6, 299-pound Radunz has been a fixture at left tackle the past two seasons, earning multiple All-American honors.
“Our world has been flipped upside down and I understand why we aren’t playing football, but it hurts to not be able to suit up for a full season,” Radunz said. “I stay on the practice field because I made a commitment to myself, my family and to NDSU. I stay because of the Bison family, a family that has given me countless opportunities.”
Radunz is projected by multiple NFL Draft analysts to be a high-round draft selection in next spring’s draft.
“While I’m on a path of obtaining my dream of one day playing in the NFL, I’m currently living my dreams with the family I’ve gained at NDSU,” Radunz said.
