Bryce Lance Scouting Report
By: Michael Higgins
(Image courtesy of David Samson/The Forum)
School: North Dakota State
Class: Redshirt Senior
Position: WR
HT: 6’3
WT: 209 lbs
Background: Bryce Lance is one the best wide receivers in the FCS. Bryce is the younger brother of NFL and former NDSU star QB, Trey Lance. Bryce was a very lightly recruited wide receiver out of Marshall, Minnesota. Lance was a top 10 player in Minnesota in the 2021 class but was not ranked nationally. Lance played both receiver and safety for Marshall High School. He recorded 1,766 yards throughout his high school career. Bryce Lance committed to his brother’s alma mater in North Dakota State over multiple ivy league schools.
College: Every year since 2022, Lance has been on the Honor Roll and received an Academic Excellence award for NDSU. Bryce redshirted his first year as a Bison and played special teams in 2022 and 2023. In 2024, Lance had a breakout campaign. He won the FCS National Championship after making 13 starts. He posted 75 catches for 1,071 yards and 17 touchdowns. His 17 touchdowns led the FCS and broke an NDSU record. Bryce was also named All-MVFC First Team. He had similar numbers in 2025 with 51 receptions for 1,079 yards and 8 touchdowns on his way to being named an FCS All-American.
Strengths: Bryce Lance has an advantageous frame for a boundary receiver. He has long arms which provides a friendly target for the quarterback with a large catch radius. He is able to catch footballs outside of his frame consistently. He is a true deep ball threat. He displays late hands and can track the ball over his shoulder without breaking stride. His grip strength is put on full display on those contested catches when he meets the ball at the catchpoint and rips it out of the air. No matter the kind of contact Lance faces when going up to make the catch, he remains focused on bringing down the football. Lance is a strong runner, he is able to gain plenty of yards after the catch and can maintain balance through contact.
Weaknesses: Lance does not get off the line with a sense of urgency. He seems to ease into his route which gives defenders more reaction time to stay connected to him. When at the stem of routes, he lacks acceleration to create leverage or separation. Lastly, his production came in the FCS, it is worth wondering if he can bring that same production to the NFL.
Conclusion: Bryce Lance comes from football genes and has the frame to play in the NFL. His skillset will always be needed on any team as a guy who can get to the deep areas, high point a football, and make a play. He is not an elite route runner, but he has not needed to be.
Best Team Fits: SEA, WSH, JAX
Player Comparison: Keon Coleman
Player Grade: Round 4 (67.7)
