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Home > Bison Media Zone > ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr. ranks Bison fullback Luepke among top 2023 NFL Draft prospects in his position group


	Podcast:		Bison Media Zone
	Episode:		ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr. ranks Bison fullback Luepke among top 2023 NFL Draft prospects in his position group
	Category:		Sports & Recreation
	Duration:		00:00:00
	Publish Date:		2022-06-01 16:24:41
	Description:		FARGO North Dakota State fullback Hunter Luepke could be the next Bison player selected in the NFL Draft. ESPN’s NFL Draft guru Mel Kiper Jr. released his top 25 overall prospects for the 2023 draft this week, including best prospects by position. Luepke is rated as the No. 9 prospect among fullbacks/H-backs in Kiper’s early projections. Georgia's Arik Gilbert is ranked No. 1 in that position group. “It's early, and I'm going to be wrong about a few prospects.” Kiper wrote. https://twitter.com/TrainIsland/status/1479865777788493824?s=20&t=tmme5tysHKQatGhK_d25aQ The 6-foot-1, 234-pound Luepke rushed for 543 yards and eight touchdowns last season, playing in 13 games. He also caught nine passes for 165 yards and three touchdowns. Luepke made a big splash in the NCAA Division I FCS national championship game in January, rushing for 82 yards and three touchdowns on 14 attempts. He also created a buzz on social media with a touchdown run in which he ran over a Montana State defender near the goal line. "I like to hit people,” Luepke said after the game. “I like to bring the violence to them.” The Bison rolled to a 38-10 victory against MSU to win their ninth FCS national crown in 11 seasons. "We had a lot of juice going through our veins," Luepke added. Luepke also had a big game in the FCS semifinals against James Madison, rushing for 110 yards on 19 attempts. He also caught three passes for 89 yards and two TDs. That performance helped the Bison earn a 20-14 victory against the Dukes, who are now headed to the FBS. In his three seasons with NDSU, Luepke has rushed for 1,044 yards and 15 touchdowns on 176 attempts in 33 games. He also has 24 receptions for 298 yards and five TDs. He’s also proven to be a reliable blocker. Next fall will be Luepke’s fourth season with the Bison and likely his last, even though he could potentially come back for another year if he wanted by using an NCAA eligibility waiver because of the coronavirus pandemic. https://twitter.com/NDSUfootball/status/1472061925739610120?s=20&t=tmme5tysHKQatGhK_d25aQ Bison offensive tackle Cody Mauch and tight end Noah Gindorff are among the other Bison players who are potential NFL Draft prospects for next spring. The 6-foot-6, 266-pound Gindorff planned to pursue a pro career after this past season before he suffered a lower-leg injury and decided to return for 2022. The Bison had two players selected in the most recent NFL Draft. The Green Bay Packers picked wide receiver Christian Watson early in the second round at No. 34 overall. The Cincinnati Bengals chose offensive lineman Cordell Volson at No. 136 overall in the fourth round. ]]>
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