Dillon
Radunz.
Dillon
Radunz.
North Dakota State· 6'5"· 301 lb· 5.16s 40
"A North Dakota State tackle with FCS national-title reps and Senior Bowl polish — a two-year developmental project everyone slotted between Rounds 2 and 4."Pre-draft read
Dillon Radunz is a technique-first offensive lineman whose game is built on quick feet, angle recognition and a clean pass-pro kick slide. His signature trait in pass protection is a low-hipped set with an early hand strike to the front half of a rusher's chest; when timed, he shuts down speed rushers on the arc. In the run game he is best on outside zone and short pulls where his athleticism shows up — he reliably reaches on the play side, climbs to the second level, and finishes into the whistle.
He does not create movement one-on-one against defenders at 301 pounds, gets walked back by long-armed bull rushers when his initial punch is dodged, and his anchor relies on technique rather than power. He is not a mauler.
Pure outside zone schemes such as the Shanahan, Kubiak, or LaFleur offenses, where foot speed, angle recognition, and mobility on full and half pulls are prioritized over raw power.
Year 1 high-end swing tackle who can step in to take 600-800 snaps on the edge and eventually become a long-term starter at RT in a zone-heavy scheme.
Gap/power run scheme that asks its offensive linemen to displace 3-techniques and hold the point in pass protection with raw strength rather than mirrors and quick feet.
Radunz is a finesse-first offensive lineman who needs to find a zone-heavy run scheme to maximize his NFL potential, as his quick feet and hand usage are better suited for attacking rather than absorbing.
Dillon Radunz — NDSU Highlights
Canonical pre-draft cutup showing pass-pro kick slide, outside-zone reach blocks and second-level finish at North Dakota State.
Dillon Radunz Scouting Report — 2021 NFL Draft
Pre-draft scouting breakdown covering technique base, frame concerns, level-of-competition flag and Titans projection.
Dillon Radunz — Senior Bowl 1-on-1s
Full Senior Bowl 1-on-1 pass-rush reps against Power-5 edges — the week that answered the FCS competition question.
Dillon Radunz presented as a technique-first tackle with high-level athletic upside, projected to thrive in scheme-specific run concepts. Teams scouted a player whose clean pass-protection mechanics and footwork allowed him to mirror speed rushers and handle redirection, pointing to a probable role as a swing tackle with potential to grow into a starting right tackle or guard.
A three-year starter at left tackle for North Dakota State, he protected the blind side of Trey Lance during the Bison's 2019 national title run and 2020 spring cameo. His performance at the 2021 Senior Bowl, where he won 1-on-1 reps against Power-5 edges, addressed concerns about his limited body of work against top-tier competition, elevating his draft stock.
Despite a leaner frame for an NFL tackle, his clean combine testing and Senior Bowl showing positioned him in the second or third round on public boards. Evaluators recognized him as a developmental project, with the Tennessee Titans ultimately selecting him at pick #53, targeting positional flexibility inside or at tackle.
- 01
Quick Controlled Movement
Radunz shows quick, controlled movement at 6-6, 301 pounds, projecting as an outside-zone tackle who reaches 3-techniques.
- 02
Clean Pass Protection
Pass-protection footwork features a clean kick slide with hip mobility, mirrors speed rushers, and redirects on inside counters.
- 03
Effective Punch Technique
He uses 34-inch arms with a controlled snatch-and-shift punch to win first contact and lock out long-armed edge rushers.
- 04
Senior Bowl Dominance
Radunz delivered a dominant week of reps against premier FBS edge rushers at the Senior Bowl, silencing competition concerns.
- 05
Pro-Style Experience
A four-year FCS starter for North Dakota State, he comes from a pro-style front with high-level football intelligence.
- 01
Limited Opponent Competition
He played an FCS schedule with limited reps against premier NFL-caliber pass rushers, raising questions about his projection.
- 02
Leaner Frame, Anchor Concerns
Radunz possesses leaner interior mass for a tackle and can be walked back into the quarterback's lap by true bull rushers.
- 03
Pad Level and Re-Anchor
Needs to sink his hips earlier and re-anchor versus power; he can be rolled back on interior push if not in his stance.
- 04
Inconsistent Hand Placement
His punch will drift outside the frame against inside power moves; he needs to consistently fit his hands inside the chest.
— — — positional median (p50)
- 40 yd
- 5.16sp50
- Vertical
- 32inp50
- Broad jump
- 112inp50
- Three-cone
- 7.27sp50
- Shuttle
- 4.57sp50
- Bench
- 24repp50
| Yr | Team | G |
|---|---|---|
| 2017 | North Dakota State | 1 |
| 2018 | North Dakota State | 15 |
| 2019 | North Dakota State | 16 |
| 2020 | North Dakota State | 1 |
| Career | — | 33 |
A dash means the figure is not published by a source we trust — never a zero we invented.
Realistic outcome — a versatile 3-4 year swing lineman who starts in stretches, moves inside as needed, and never fully claims one position
Ceiling case if the frame carries weight and he settles at a starting spot — a decade-long, occasionally Pro Bowl swing/guard on a good line
Floor case if the level-of-competition flag compounds — a backup/emergency starter who bounces around rosters on veteran minimum deals
Everything above is the pre-draft evaluation. This section is what actually happened — updated year over year.
Bust. Never won a starting job. Rotational tackle-and-guard reps years 1-3, cut by the Titans in 2024. Signed with the Chargers as depth in 2025 (currently a practice-squad callup). Developmental profile that never developed.
**Pre-draft context.** Dillon Radunz arrived at the 2021 NFL Draft as the highest-graded FCS offensive lineman on most boards and one of the class's Senior Bowl risers. A three-year starter at left tackle for North Dakota State, he protected the blind side of Trey Lance during the Bison's 2019 national title run and 2020 spring cameo, and used the 2021 Senior Bowl in Mobile to answer the level-of-competition question by winning 1-on-1 reps against Power-5 edges all week. At 6'6" and 301 pounds with 33 3/8" arms he was light for an NFL tackle but tested cleanly (5.05 forty, 4.60 short shuttle, 30" vertical), and public boards placed him in a wide 2nd-3rd-round range as a technique-first project with real athletic upside. Tennessee took him at #53 with the idea of a swing tackle who could grow into a right tackle or slide inside to guard.
**NFL fit — Titans.** The Tennessee organization drafted Radunz into a run-heavy scheme, but the role never stabilized. He played a handful of snaps at right tackle as a rookie in 2021, moved inside to right guard in 2022 for a stretch as a stopgap starter, and by 2023 was cycling between backup/swing duty as Tennessee overhauled the offensive line. He never won an every-week starting job at either position and by his rookie contract's end was a rotational piece rather than a foundational one. He moved on in 2025 as a veteran depth signing rather than a starter, which reset expectations to what the pre-draft grade always was for FCS tackles: development bet, not blue-chip guarantee.
**Retrospective.** Radunz is the archetype of a Senior Bowl-inflated 2nd-round pick that never fully clicked. The pre-draft grade correctly identified a technique-first player with a light frame and a level-of-competition question; the pro tape confirmed both. The Titans got roughly what the median FCS-tackle drafted on Day 2 returns — 3-4 years of swing-tackle/guard depth — which is a "not-a-hit, not-a-full-miss" outcome. The lesson is that Senior Bowl week reps are context, not a grade multiplier.