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Home > Bison Media Zone > Izzo: Hankinson and Devils Lake about to enter exclusive territory
Podcast: Bison Media Zone
Episode:

Izzo: Hankinson and Devils Lake about to enter exclusive territory
Category: Sports & Recreation
Duration: 00:00:00
Publish Date: 2023-04-20 19:49:58
Description:

The ultra exclusive club of North Dakota towns that have produced professional athletes is about to expand in the coming months.



Balfour joined the group last year with Cordell Volson's selection by the Cincinnati Bengals in the 2022 NFL Draft.



Hankinson and Devils Lake are knocking on the door to join the club.



If the news Tuesday of Grant Nelson declaring for the NBA Draft didn't make you sit up and realize that Nelson's attempt to make the NBA is going to be the next major sports story in North Dakota, you haven't been paying attention. The former Mr. Basketball winner in the state saw a viral tweet turn into a potential NBA opportunity. The North Dakota State forward could still return to college, but all signs are pointing towards professional basketball in the not to distant future.




Couple Nelson's news with the fact that Cody Mauch is going to be a high NFL draft pick next week and it's high times for North Dakota sports.



Think of this, two North Dakota towns, Hankinson and Devils Lake, are about to be on the national map in a way never before experienced.



Not for weather, but for producing two elite athletes.



As expected, each town is going crazy, the community center in Hankinson is reserved for multiple days next week for a Mauch draft party.




Mauch's rise to national prominence started at the NFL Combine in Indianapolis in early March, where he not only put on an impressive athletic performance, his "look" and personality quickly made him a TV hit on the NFL Network. He has seen his draft stock rise to the point of where some experts believe Mauch will be selected in the first round of next week's NFL Draft.



Mauch was in Balfour last year when Volson received the call from the Bengals about his selection. Mauch's dad Joe tells me there could be "hundreds" of people at the draft party next week. Hankinson's hero is ready for the NFL and it appears his hometown is equally ready for the attention that is to come their way.



Mauch and Nelson can thank Carson Wentz for blazing this path just a few years ago. The Wentz draft phenomenon opened the nation's eyes to North Dakota and since then you've seen Power Five colleges and professional opportunities come to North Dakota athletes, ranging from Volson to Fargo's Tyler Kleven, who made his NHL debut last month with the Ottawa Senators.



Fargo, Bismarck, Grand Forks, Jamestown and Willison have long been known as pro sports towns in North Dakota.



That list seemingly will add two more over the next two months. And it seems like the list won't stop growing anytime soon.


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