Dillon Radunz

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    Image of Player Dillon Radunz

    Dillon Radunz Bio

    Dillon Jeffrey Radunz (born March 28, 1998) is an American professional football guard for the New Orleans Saints of the National Football League (NFL). Standing 6 feet 6 inches tall and weighing around 308 pounds, he plays a physical position along the offensive line and is known for his run-blocking pedigree from his college years. Radunz spent his first four NFL seasons with the Tennessee Titans after being selected in the second round of the 2021 NFL draft, and he joined New Orleans in March 2025 on a one-year contract.

    Before reaching the NFL, Radunz built one of the most decorated résumés in North Dakota State history, winning three consecutive FCS national championships from 2017 through 2019. His combination of size, technique, and championship experience has shaped his identity as a reliable interior lineman at the professional level.

    Early Life and Background

    Dillon Jeffrey Radunz was born on March 28, 1998, in St. Cloud, Minnesota. His family moved to nearby Becker when he was in first grade, and he grew up primarily in that small central-Minnesota community. Becker remains closely tied to his identity, and he is still associated with the town as his residence.

    At Becker High School, Radunz was a multi-sport athlete who played basketball and football and competed in track and field, where he threw shot put and discus. He still holds the Becker High School shot put record at 57 feet 7 inches, a mark that reflects the upper-body power he later translated to the trenches. As a two-year starter at both offensive tackle and defensive end, he helped the Becker football team post a 25–1 record and capture back-to-back state championships.

    Radunz finished his high school career with 163 tackles, including 14 sacks, earning recognition as the All-Area Football Player of the Year by the St. Cloud Times, East Central District North Division Most Valuable Player, and first-team All-State. He committed to play college football at North Dakota State, choosing a program known for its consistent championship pedigree over larger Division I schools.

    Path to Professional Football

    Radunz enrolled at North Dakota State and redshirted his true freshman year, preserving a year of eligibility while developing in the Bison program. He entered his redshirt freshman season as a projected starter but suffered a season-ending knee injury just 17 snaps into the opener, a setback that tested his patience and long-term development.

    As a redshirt sophomore, Radunz returned healthy and started 15 games, earning second-team All-Missouri Valley Football Conference (MVFC) recognition. His third college season proved to be his breakthrough: he logged 682 offensive snaps with 63 knockdowns, allowed zero sacks across 12 regular-season games, and started all 16 of the Bison’s contests. That performance earned him first-team All-MVFC honors and consensus first-team All-American status.

    Heading into his redshirt senior year, Radunz was a consensus preseason All-American, though the COVID-19 pandemic limited the Bison to one fall game against Central Arkansas. He capped his college career by participating in the 2021 Senior Bowl, where he showcased his skills against top NFL draft prospects and solidified his stock as a Day 1 or Day 2 selection.

    Dillon Radunz Career

    Early Career (2021)

    The Tennessee Titans selected Radunz in the second round, 53rd overall, of the 2021 NFL draft, and he signed his four-year rookie contract on May 13, 2021. He spent most of his debut season working as a backup while learning the team’s offensive line schemes and adjusting to professional-level speed and complexity.

    Radunz made his first career start at left tackle in Week 16, stepping in for an injured Taylor Lewan and providing a glimpse of his positional flexibility. He appeared in 12 games during the 2021 season, gaining valuable reps and laying the groundwork for a larger role the following year.

    Tennessee Titans Tenure (2021–2024)

    In 2022, Radunz entered training camp as a backup guard behind Aaron Brewer and Nate Davis, but injuries along the interior line opened opportunities for him. He appeared in 11 games at both guard spots and made four total starts before a torn ACL ended his season in mid-December and sent him to injured reserve.

    Radunz bounced back in 2023, playing 16 games with 11 starts and re-establishing himself as a dependable piece of the Titans’ offensive line. He won the starting right guard job entering the 2024 season, though a bruised rib forced him out of the Week 1 matchup against the Chicago Bears. Over his first six games that year, he allowed just one sack and committed two penalties, showing improved consistency.

    He finished the 2024 season with 15 starts in 17 games, missing two contests due to injury. Across his four seasons in Tennessee, Radunz developed from a swing backup into a full-time starter, lining up at both tackle and guard and showing the versatility that had defined his college evaluation.

    New Orleans Saints Era (2025–Present)

    On March 24, 2025, Radunz signed with the New Orleans Saints on a one-year contract, beginning a new chapter in his career. The move offered him a chance to compete for a starting role in a different offensive system and to test himself in the NFC South.

    Through the early portion of the 2025 season, Radunz has worked to carve out a consistent role along the Saints’ offensive line, bringing his run-blocking foundation and positional flexibility. His familiarity with both guard and tackle has given the Saints’ coaching staff multiple lineup options as the season progresses.

    Driving Style and Strengths

    Radunz is regarded as a physically powerful run-blocker whose strength at the point of attack traces back to his shot-put background and his work in North Dakota State’s power-based rushing attack. He shows comfort working in confined spaces at guard while also retaining the footwork to fill in at tackle when needed. His experience in heavy, condensed offensive lines at NDSU has shaped a controlled, technique-driven style that translates well to power-man and gap schemes at the NFL level.

    Notable Events and Milestones

    Radunz’s three consecutive FCS national championships with North Dakota State from 2017 to 2019 stand as one of the most distinctive team accomplishments of his career. His consensus first-team All-American selection in 2019, his Senior Bowl appearance in 2021, and his second-round draft selection by the Tennessee Titans all rank as signature milestones, along with his first career NFL start in Week 16 of the 2021 season.

    Dillon Radunz Career Wins

    Across his college and professional career, Radunz has been associated with championship success and steady positional performance rather than headline statistics. His three straight FCS national titles at North Dakota State anchor his résumé, while his NFL work has been measured in starts, snaps, and dependable protection.

    College Highlights

    Radunz was part of three consecutive FCS championship-winning teams with the North Dakota State Bison in 2017, 2018, and 2019, anchoring the offensive line during one of the most dominant stretches in FCS history. His 2019 season stood out individually, as he was named first-team All-MVFC and a consensus first-team All-American, building on his second-team All-MVFC recognition from 2018.

    Other Performances

    At Becker High School, Radunz helped lead the team to a 25–1 record and back-to-back state championships, earning first-team All-State honors along the way. His shot put record of 57 feet 7 inches at Becker also remains a lasting individual mark outside of football.

    Dillon Radunz Family

    Family Background and Roots

    Radunz grew up in Becker, Minnesota, after his family relocated there when he was in first grade, and he has continued to list the town as his residence. His early life in a tight-knit central-Minnesota community shaped his workmanlike approach and grounded public persona, traits that carried into his college years at North Dakota State and his subsequent NFL career.

    Personal Life

    Radunz maintains ties to his hometown of Becker, Minnesota, and is publicly associated with the community where he first developed as an athlete. Beyond his football commitments and his connection to North Dakota State, limited additional verified personal details are available from supported sources.

    2025 Season Performance

    The 2025 season marks Radunz’s first year with the New Orleans Saints after signing a one-year contract on March 24, 2025. He joined an offensive line in transition, with the Saints looking to balance veteran presence and young talent along the interior. His versatility, having started at both guard and tackle in Tennessee, gave him a realistic path to a meaningful role from the outset of training camp.

    Through the early portion of the season, Radunz has competed for snaps along the Saints’ offensive front, bringing his run-blocking pedigree and pass-protection fundamentals developed across four NFL seasons. His track record of 11 starts in 2023 and 15 starts in 2024 with the Titans underscores his durability and his coaches’ confidence in him as a reliable contributor.

    Looking ahead, Radunz’s contract is set to run through the end of the 2025 season, giving him a clear opportunity to showcase his value and position himself for a longer-term role in New Orleans or elsewhere. His performance over the second half of the season will likely shape both his standing within the Saints’ plans and his outlook heading into the next stage of his professional career.