NFL Draft: Pro comparisons for the top 32 prospects in 2021
By Adam Patrick
NFL Draft 2021 Pro Comparisons: Dillon Radunz → David Bakhtiari
It’s incredibly rare for an FCS school to produce one prospect capable of being drafted in the first round, let alone two. Well, that’s exactly what North Dakota State has this year with quarterback Trey Lance and offensive tackle Dillon Radunz. We’ll get to Lance a little later, but let’s focus on Radunz right now and what he can offer a team at the NFL level.
Athleticism is something a lot of people keep bringing up when they describe this young offensive lineman from North Dakota State. At 6-foot-6 and 304 pounds, he’s got the length to keep defenders in front of him, and he’s got a solid enough frame to move his opponents out of the way when he’s blocking down the field.
Radunz did suffer a torn ACL back in 2017, so that is something for NFL teams to be concerned about. But their worries should have decreased a bunch after he returned from his injury to appear in the majority of his next two seasons.
Why he compares to David Bakhtiari:
Green Bay Packers left tackle David Bakhtiari is one of the best offensive linemen in the league today, so anyone who draws comparisons to him has to be doing something right. Bakhtiari is someone that numerous people are reminded of when they watch film of Radunz out on the field.
Bakhtiari has really come into his own during the last few seasons. He’s excellent as a pass blocker and if he wasn’t, Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers would definitely let him hear about it.
Bakhtiari is someone who doesn’t give up a sack very often and this is something Radunz displayed out on the field during his time at South Dakota State. If he can continue to do this at the pro level, he’s going to make his quarterback very happy.