The Indianapolis Colts have some needs in the 2026 NFL draft, and many of those are on defense. Offensively, the team could be looking for more depth pieces, but with the long-term hope that some of those players become stars. That could include North Dakota State's Bryce Lance.
That is, if James Boyd of The Athletic's (subscription required) guess becomes correct. In his latest (and final) mock for Indy, Boyd has the team choosing wide receiver Lance in the fourth round at pick 113 overall. The receiver is the younger brother of Trey Lance, a quarterback the San Francisco 49ers chose in the first round in 2021.
What Colts fans have to hope is that Bryce turns out to be much better than Trey is trending. The quarterback is already on his third team and was a bust for the 49ers. He started four games in two years, and after a somewhat promising start as a rookie, he failed drastically.
Indianapolis Colts projected to choose wide receiver Bryce Lance in the 2026 NFL draft
His younger sibling, however, has a better chance of being good. For one, Bryce Lance won't have to play the most important position in the sport, and have early success to prove he was worthy of a high-round draft selection. Not that the wide receiver won't be worthy of that, but he will have extra time to develop.
His raw skills are certainly intriguing, though. Lance is 6'3 3/8" and 204 pounds, and has been timed at 4.34 in the 40-yard dash. His vertical leap was 41.5 inches. He has the athleticism to be great, but he will start his career in the NFL as a project.
Like Trey Lance, Bryce played at North Dakota State. That is the best program of any non-FBS school, but the competition the team plays is far below the FBS level. This means that Bryce Lance would have to adjust to the speed and size of the NFL, and that is anything but easy.
His route tree will also need to be developed. Nothing against the great coaching staff at NDSU, but even players who go to Ohio State and Alabama don't usually go into the league as perfect players. The hope is that Lance can be a deep threat immediately, but he will probably still be no more than a WR3 for most teams.
For the Indianapolis Colts, that would work out just fine. As Dane Brugler wrote, as used in James Boyd's mock, "Lance is a good-sized athlete and natural hands-catcher who requires route polish but adjusts well to the ball with physicality and body control."
Some of the above traits can't be taught, and Lance already has them. Should Indy actually take the wide receiver in the fourth round, he could turn into one of the steals of the 2026 NFL draft and a long-term high-end contributor for the Colts.
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