INDIANAPOLIS — The stopwatch stopped, and the whispers turned into a roar inside Lucas Oil Stadium. Bryce Lance just proved he isn’t just Trey Lance’s younger brother. He is a verified weapon. The North Dakota State wide receiver torched the turf at the 2026 NFL Combine on Saturday, clocking an official 4.34-second 40-yard dash and locking in a near-perfect 9.98 Relative Athletic Score (RAS). Forget the family name for a minute; Bryce Lance just forced every scout in the building to memorize his tape.
More Than Just a Name
You could almost feel the tension in the air when the crowd held its breath before his first jump. Then, Lance exploded. He hit a staggering 41.5 inches in the vertical and leaped 11 feet, 1 inch in the broad jump. He didn’t just participate; he dominated. That 9.98 RAS ranks him seventh among all wide receivers evaluated since 1987. Let that sink in. Out of nearly four decades of elite athletes, Lance sits comfortably in the top ten.
He wasn’t done there. Lance sliced through route-running drills with the precision of a surgeon, catching darts from former NDSU teammate Cole Payton. The Marshall, Minnesota native ended his college career with 127 receptions, 2,139 yards, and 25 touchdowns. But numbers only tell half the story. The raw speed and explosive power he displayed in Indianapolis screamed out to every general manager holding a draft board.
The FCS Loyalty That Paid Off
Loyalty rarely pays the bills in modern college football, but Lance chose a different path. Following a 17-touchdown breakout season in 2024, Big Ten programs lined up with massive NIL deals. He turned them all down. Why? Brotherhood.
Lance stayed at NDSU to finish what he started alongside teammates who became family. He watched his offensive lineman, Grey Zabel, get drafted in the first round by the Seattle Seahawks in 2025 and win Super Bowl LX just weeks ago. He saw his quarterback, Cam Miller, get drafted by the Las Vegas Raiders and land with the Miami Dolphins. Lance believed the FCS route could still lead to Sunday football. With NDSU officially moving to the FBS this past February, Lance serves as the perfect bridge between their legendary FCS dominance and their new future.
“He was kind of living under Trey’s shadow. And having an older brother that is in the league is pretty cool, and I’m sure he’s learned so much from Trey. But the thing about Bryce is he made a name for himself — not because of Trey but because of Bryce. He’s an amazing talent, but it’s because he works his butt off. He’s a baller, great teammate.”
— Cole Payton, NDSU Quarterback
Draft Implications / What’s Next
The San Francisco 49ers spent the No. 3 overall pick on Trey Lance in 2021. While that story had its hurdles, Bryce is writing an entirely different script. His blazing 4.34 speed and elite leaping ability suddenly make him one of the most intriguing day-two targets in the 2026 NFL Draft. Teams desperate for a perimeter threat who can stretch the field and win 50-50 balls will circle his name in red ink.
He survived the college football grind. He rejected the transfer portal cash grab. Now, Bryce Lance leaves Indianapolis not as a quarterback’s little brother, but as a top-tier athletic freak ready to terrorize NFL secondaries.
