North Dakota State’s Grey Zabel Eyes Historic NFL Draft Opportunity

FARGO, North Dakota — Grey Zabel will be at his family home near Pierre, South Dakota, on Thursday night as he watches the NFL Draft. He hopes to hear his name called in the first round, which would mark a historic moment for North Dakota State University (NDSU) football.

NDSU has seen success in football for over a decade but has never had an offensive lineman selected in the first round. Zabel’s potential selection could change that.

Quarterbacks Carson Wentz and Trey Lance have previously been top-three picks in the NFL Draft and celebrated on national television. In contrast, other Bison players, including Billy Turner and Cody Mauch, were taken in later rounds, showcasing a range of talent from the program.

City Commissioner Dave Piepkorn, a former NDSU player himself, recalls the transformation of the NFL Draft. “It is way more of a production now than it was back then, obviously,” Piepkorn said. “Now it is a full-blown television production that they stretch into three days. Back then, I think they got it all done in one day.”

Piepkorn, drafted in 1984 by the Cleveland Browns, added a historical perspective. He was part of the first televised NFL Draft and recalled his own experience, waiting in a dining center with teammates when he learned he had been selected.

“It was awesome,” Piepkorn said about his experience at the National Invitation Camp. “My signing bonus with the Browns was $65,000, which was the richest I ever felt in my life.”

Despite his initial excitement, he did not make the league and later transitioned into a successful career as a business owner and city commissioner. He expressed pride in Zabel’s achievements, emphasizing what a first-round selection could mean for the program.

<p“I'm just so proud of all the offensive linemen who've made it to the NFL. And now Grey might go in the first round,” Piepkorn said. “If he goes in the first round, it'll be so good for the football program, the university, the city, the state of North Dakota. That's something we can all be proud of.”