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FARGO — Former North Dakota State tight end Josh Babicz and defensive end Brayden Thomas have both been added to practice squads of the NFL teams that waived them earlier this week.
Babicz was added to the Carolina Panthers practice squad and Thomas to the Los Angeles Rams practice squad. Both rookies were undrafted free agents after the 2022 NFL Draft before signing with their respective teams. Both the Panthers and Rams announced their practice squads Wednesday. Including Babicz and Thomas, NDSU has 14 former players with NFL teams.
The Bison have an FCS-best 11 players on 53-man NFL rosters after trims were made this week. Former Bison offensive lineman Cordell Volson and wide receiver Christian Watson are two rookies who made 53-man rosters. Former Bison wide receiver Darrius Shepherd signed with the Denver Broncos practice squad Wednesday.
Volson, a fourth-round draft selection, was named the Cincinnati Bengals starter at left guard for the regular season-opening game. Watson was a second-round pick for the Packers last spring.
Here are the remaining former Bison on NFL rosters — Dallas Cowboys linebacker Jabril Cox, Denver Broncos offensive lineman Billy Turner, Detroit Lions linebacker Chris Board, Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Easton Stick, Minnesota Vikings tight end Ben Ellefson, Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker Derrek Tuszka, San Francisco 49ers quarterback Trey Lance, Tennessee Titans offensive lineman Dillon Radunz and Washington Commanders quarterback Carson Wentz.
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Babicz, Thomas, Volson and Watson all played for NDSU's 2021 NCAA Division I FCS national championship team. The Bison have won nine of the past 11 FCS national titles.
To follow former Bison players in the NFL throughout the season go to: https://www.inforum.com/bison-football-alums-in-the-nfl.
2022 cap hits for #Bengals week one starting offensive linemen:
— Willie Lutz (@willie_lutz) August 31, 2022
Alex Cappa, $6,750,000
Jonah Williams, $5,609,598
Ted Karras, $5,000,000
La’el Collins, $4,166,666
Cordell Volson, $879,220
Starting line has a cap hit of $22,405,484, absorbing 10.8% of their cap liabilities. pic.twitter.com/ECIqKcIlVh
