From now until the 2021 NFL Draft takes place, we hope to showcase as many prospects as possible and examine both their strengths and weaknesses. Most of these profiles will feature individuals that the Pittsburgh Steelers are likely to have an interest in, while a few others will be top-ranked players. If there is a player you would like us to analyze, let us know in the comments below.
#75 Dillon Radunz / OT North Dakota State – 6055 304
The Good
- Good athletic ability and snap quickness
- Good pad level and leg drive
- Tenacious blocker looking to pancake or play through the whistle
- Very good awareness of most dangerous defender
- Good quickness in pass sets and footwork to mirror
- Good block sustain on second level
The Bad
- Lateral agility was adequate on outside zone runs
- Will reach and overextend giving pass rusher’s advantage with hands
- Marginal depth on his kick slide; speed rushers can exploit this
- Leaves chest open and can be driven back on power rushes
- Overaggressive leading to slipping off of quicker defenders
Bio
- 33 games, 32 consecutive starts
- 2021 Senior Bowl Invitee
- 2019 – FCS consensus First team All American
- 2019 – First team All-Missouri Valley Football Conference
- 2019 – In 12 regular-season games, played 682 snaps with 63 knockdowns and zero sacks allowed
- 2018 – In 11 regular-season games, played 626 snaps with 27 knockdowns and three sacks allowed
- 2017 – Miss most of season with knee injury
- In high school, also played basketball and track and field
- Majoring in industrial engineering
Tape Breakdown
North Dakota State is a perennial FCS national champion and they are producing more and more NFL talent every year. Due to national pandemic issues the season for Dillon Radunz turned out to be one regular season game and the Senior Bowl. He played left tackle for the Bison.
As a pass blocker, he has good quickness out of his stance and pays with good balance and pad level. Their passing scheme asked him to use different pass sets. Most common were the jump and 45 degree sets using his quickness lateral agility to mirror blockers while using his length and hand strength to hold off the pass rusher. On vertical sets, he displayed good footwork and balance to slide up the arc and used his length and core strength to work rushers past the quarterback. He showed active hands and uses a snatch to yank rushers down. He was able to cut off rushers to the inside with ease and showed solid awareness on twist and stunts. He has improved his timing and effectiveness on cut blocks on the backside when moving the pocket away from his side.
Vs Central Arkansas, here you can see is kick slide gets minimal depth but he’s able to slide and ride the defender up the arc so the QB can step up.
Vs Central Arkansas, his awareness is on point. He has the defensive end handled and notices the blitzer on the outside. He sheds the DE to pick up the free rusher and give the QB a chance to get away.
As a run blocker, he plays with aggressiveness, power and nasty demeanor to play though the whistle. On Gap/Power runs he has good snap quickness; pad level and leg drive to get push on down, drive and double team blocks. He has good strength to wall off and turn defenders to clear a path. He displays good agility to be uses on fold blocks and as a puller and plays under control with good accuracy to eliminate his target. On inside Zone he had good timing to get to the second level, breaks down quickly and easily moved linebackers. Good hinge blocks on runs to the right side often picking up more than one player. No matter which block he is executing he looks to finish the block whether by pancake or past the whistle. He also has very good awareness of the most dangerous defender and will come off of blocks to pick up free runners.
At Illinois State, good pad level, strength and leg drive to move the DL four yards off the ball before planting him on the 25 yard line.
Vs Northern Iowa, he will block down on the defensive tackle knocking him off balance (see his leg flying up) before climbing to the second level to wall off the linebacker for a big gain.
Vs Montana State, he’s quick, the pad level is low and he drives the defensive lineman far away from the gap.
At the Senior Bowl, he is the left tackle and will sling shot the edge up field. But watch the big man pick ‘em up and put ‘em down. Great effort and speed to race 30 yards downfield to look for another block.
When Radunz had his struggles it was usually when he overreached versus quicker defenders getting him off balance. He gets adequate depth on his kick slide and NFL speed rushers may be able to work him around the edge. He leaves his chest open and it allows power rushers to get into his chest and drive him back in the pocket. In the run game I didn’t see him pull to his right in the games watched. He has adequate lateral quickness to get his head across the defender and win on reach blocks. He slips off blocks when he isn’t under his pads.
Vs Northern Iowa, he will get bull rushed by the edge and gets driven back to the quarterback.
Vs Northern Iowa, his first movement is with his outside hand to the middle of the defender. This is a no-no. He gets his arm swatted and gets beaten fairly easily.
Overall, Radunz is a tenacious run blocker who uses his quickness, pad level and leg drive to sustain blocks and move defenders on the first level and agility and balance to wall off and redirect on the second level. He is a solid pass protector particularly on jump and 45 degree sets with good feet to mirror and hand strength to control.
He’ll get too aggressive and get out over his toes, must improve his anchor versus power rushes and get more depth on his vertical sets to handle speed rushers.
Ideally, he would fit in a Gap/Power run scheme and a short, timing passing scheme. He’ll probably be a swing tackle year one and move to left tackle with improvement. Some teams may use him at left guard as well.
Projection: Mid-day 2
Games Watched: 2019 – At Illinois State, Vs Northern Iowa, Vs South Dakota State, Vs Montana State; 2020 – Vs Central Arkansas
