North Dakota State offensive lineman Dillon Radunz might have upped his draft stock after revealing he has been working with Joe Staley.
Radunz was thrust into the NFL spotlight after a dominant performance at the Senior Bowl, while famously making a half-shirt of his jersey. The NFL prospect shared that working with the All-Decade 49ers left tackle has helped him prepare for his future as an NFL lineman.
“Joe Staley the coach is awesome,” Radunz said after the field work at NDSU’s Pro Day. “Super fun-loving. We kind of call him the ‘fun uncle’ but also at the same time he loves the game of football. Picking his brain was how I learned from him the most. The mental side of it, obviously. I learned a lot of physical stuff from him but picking his brain was huge.”
Radunz recently has become one of the more intriguing offensive line prospects. At 6-foot-6 and only 299 pounds, NFL teams are hoping he fills out in order to be able to hold his own facing the NFL’s top pass rushers.
The 22-year old tackle has played on both the right side and left and considers himself a “plug-and-play” option for teams looking for an offensive line upgrade especially in regards to his versatility.
After working with Staley, Radunz can add his understanding and familiarity with Kyle Shanahan’s offense to his resume.
“I’ve been working Joe Staley so that’s pretty much the playbook we’ve been repping when we practice the calls,” Radunz said. “Having Joe Staley as a coach, I mean that is what he knows he was there for 13 years, he was able to teach me a lot. He obviously didn’t give us the keys to the kingdom but he told us a lot of the calls.”
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Shanahan values linemen who can easily and consistently get to the second level. Many of the 49ers most successful run plays of the 2020 season featured Trent Williams or Mike McGlinchey clearing a path well ahead of the ball carrier.
Radunz believes his agility is one of his most important qualities.
“My ability to move and be able to cut off of reactions, I think that shows,” Radunz said. “My 5-10-5 and my L-cone are some of the best. Those are the areas I excel in. Just moving in those short distances in small spaces, being able to do that is one of my strengths.”
Radunz would not reveal specific teams he had spoken to but did clarify that he met with every representative that was in attendance at the Senior Bowl which includes the 49ers. It wouldn’t be a surprise if Staley likely offered his “scouting services” to the team where he spent his entire 13-year NFL career.
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