NFL DRAFT CLASS OF 2021 INTERVIEW: DILLON RADUNZ | NORTH DAKOTA STATE | OFFENSIVE TACKLE
As far as current players in the NFL, are there players you see yourself as similar to, or offensive tackles who have influenced you, and what have you been working on leading up to the draft? I’ve watched a lot of guys. A guy I’ve been told I look a lot like by Coach Paul Alexander is Jake Matthews, left tackle for the Atlanta Falcons. He thinks my playing style is a lot like his. A guy I will watch a lot is going to be David Bakhtiari or Taylor Lewan. I love the way Bakhtiari plays the game – his uniqueness, and his ability to be successful. I’m working on hand placement; always working on the hand fight, and leverage. Stuff like that. With that comes strength and all the other stuff you work on in the off-season. Mostly, it’s just technique with my hands, and getting my feet in the right place.
What are you hearing from NFL clubs positionally? Where do teams see you playing at the next level? All over the place. I think a lot of them can see me as a true left tackle, and I feel that teams should try me out there – that’s where I’m most comfortable and confident. And if that doesn’t work, we’ll go from there and move around. But I’ve heard left tackle, left guard, right tackle, right guard, and being able to snap in my toolbelt will be a thing. Nobody’s going to draft me to be a center, but being able to be a plug-and-play guy and the versatility is kind of why they want to draft me. Just to see things and move things around in training camp.
How did it feel to watch this group you would have been a part of on Saturdays were it not for COVID? Yeah, it’s crazy. Watching the guys – I texted the guys every single Saturday after every game, and I wish I could be there with them. I’m always going to want to be playing Bison football – there’s something different about it. But ultimately, this was the best decision for me and my family and my future. But yeah, it’s going to be an emotional time – hanging around these guys, I’m going to enjoy it as much as I can, and it’s definitely something I’m very prideful of, for sure.
How was your Senior Bowl experience? Because of these circumstances, I’d have to say it was fun. It was the most fun I’ve had in a while, just being able to play football after playing only one game in however many months – like 10 months, being able to play only one game since that championship. Being able to practice and play against all those really good players, a lot of really high-caliber players. A lot of those guys are going to get drafted. Being able to compete and show my skills that way, it was just a fun time down there. Got to experience Alabama for the first time; got to eat at some restaurants down there. Overall, it was a fun time. Doing what I love, playing football. I had a blast.
What went into your decision not to play, and to prepare for the draft instead? And what do you think about all the other players who opted out? Ultimately, it just comes down to athletes taking care of their bodies. You can go out and have fun and do that, and there’s a certain purity to that, but next thing you know, some guy tears his ACL in the spring, and now he misses out on the spring season, and misses out on the fall season, then he has to wait another whole year and a half just to play football again. So, that’s one of the biggest factors. Even guys who opt out of the spring season and are still playing FCS football – it’s a huge decision as to whether you want to take care of your body, If you’re not scared, but just not afraid that might happen. That was definitely one of the big factors in all the guys opting out. Being injured that long and missing that much football. On top of that, if you’re not injured, you’re playing eight games, you go to the playoffs, maybe 12 games this spring. Then you turn around, and if you are going to be a draft prospect, and you go to the playoffs, you’re going to be playing maybe 16-17 games next season. So, you’re just playing that much football in a short period of time, and it’s just not good for the body. Especially at this high level of play. That’s the biggest factor, just being able to take care of your body and being able to perform at a high level for so long.
Who was the toughest guy you faced at the Senior Bowl? The defensive tackle from Washington (Levi Onwuzurike) was really good. He sat out a few practices, but he was really good. The UCLA defensive tackle (Osa Odighizuwa) – I can’t pronounce his name, and I always feel bad about that, but he was really good. He was a baller. He got Defensive Lineman of the Week. I went against [Rashad] Weaver from Pitt a lot, and he was a really good player. We had a lot of battles one-on-one. He won a few, I won a few. I would say those three were the top guys I saw. Everybody there was high-caliber; I just happened to go against those guys the most and felt their presence the most.
Can you talk about your anchor, and how did that show up at the Senior Bowl? I’m fortunate that it’s part of my athleticism; just being able to move my hip like that and catch the bull-rush. Granted, I’ve learned to do that because my hands were bad, so I’d let guys inside and my anchor gets really good because I have to. So now, if I fix my hands and rely on my anchor too, I feel that’s going to be a huge strength of mine at the next level. Just being able to bend that way. But it’s a huge strength. I can always be better. I watch Bakhtiari a lot; he’s got a great anchor. He’s able to do it well; just that arc in the back. Being able to bend your hips and your shin angle, that’s always going to be good for an offensive lineman.
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