Bryce Lance

New Orleans Saints

Pos WR

Updated August 24, 2026

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Scouting Report

2026 draft class

Bryce Lance is a long, athletic wide receiver from North Dakota State and the younger brother of former No. 3 overall pick Trey Lance. The 6-3, 209-pound senior is a premier deep threat who averaged 21.2 yards per catch in 2025, using his excellent long speed and vertical ability to consistently challenge defenses down the field. Lance possesses very good ball skills, tracking and adjusting to the ball downfield while extending to pluck with his hands rather than body-catching. His contested catch ability is impressive, with a 60-plus percent contested catch rate per PFF, using his frame to shield defenders and his concentration for circus-type receptions. He has remarkably reliable hands with only 5 career drops on 127 receptions across his college career. Lance gets off the line cleanly with simple, effective releases against press coverage and uses his frame well to create a big catch radius. He is also a willing and technically sound blocker on the perimeter, giving good effort to sustain blocks in the run game. His awareness on scramble drills to find open space adds value for teams with mobile quarterbacks. However, Lance has limited agility due to his high center of gravity and long legs, laboring in and out of breaks and needing extra steps to throttle down and change direction. He ran a relatively simple route tree in college -- hitches, curls, hinges, in-breakers, and deep shots -- and his ability to win with nuanced intermediate routes at the NFL level is unproven. He will be 25 as a rookie and played at the FCS level, which raises questions about his adjustment to NFL speed and competition. Lance profiles as a starting Z receiver in a vertical offense whose deep-ball ability and reliable hands could translate quickly.

Strengths

Excellent long speed and vertical ability -- premier deep threat averaging 21.2 YPC in 2025
Very good ball skills tracking and adjusting to the ball downfield
Impressive contested catch ability (60%+ contested catch rate per PFF)
Remarkably reliable hands with only 5 career drops on 127 receptions
Clean simple releases at the line against press coverage
Uses frame well to shield ball and create big catch radius
Willing technically sound perimeter blocker
Good awareness on scramble drills finding open space
Smooth after the catch with ability to run away from defenders