North Dakota State defensive end Derrek Tuszka selected by Denver Broncos in seventh round with team’s final pick of NFL draft

With the penultimate pick of the 2020 NFL draft, the Broncos selected Derrek Tuszka in the seventh round at No. 254 overall.

The last of the Broncos’ 10 picks this year gave them added depth at defensive end, where Tuszka is projected as a reserve.

Tuszka was a three-year starter at North Dakota State, and the Warner, S.D., native capped his college career by being named first-team All-American and the Missouri Valley Football Conference defensive player of the year in 2019. He played 15 games each of the past three seasons.

“I think the (East-West Shrine Bowl) had a huge role in me being drafted,” Tuszka said. “It showed that I could compete at a higher level, and it showed how valuable I can be on special teams. Between that, and a perfect season and then having a great combine, it all helped to get to this point.”

At 6-foot-5, 246 pounds, Tuszka had 73 tackles and 29.5 sacks in his college career. He’s the second defensive lineman drafted by the Broncos this year, after Arkansas’ McTelvin Agim was taken in the third round at No. 95 overall.

Tuszka trained with Broncos strength and conditioning coach Loren Landow for the NFL combine, and said he “fell in love with Denver” during that time. He was going to be getting multiple free agent offers before the Broncos, with whom he was having conversations, drafted him at the last minute.

“With the number of free agent offers I was having, they found it was in their best interest to take me,” he said.

Derrek Tuszka

Round/pick: Seventh/254th overall

Position: Defensive end/outside linebacker

Height/weight: 6-4/251

College: North Dakota State

Hometown: Warner, S.D.

Notable: Played in 53 games (34 starts) for the Bison, totaling 29 1/ 2 sacks, 42 tackles for lost yardage and 133 total tackles. … Had 13 1/2 sacks as a fifth-year senior in 2019 to earn first-team All-America and Missouri Valley Football Conference Defensive Player of the Year honors. … Ran the 40-yard dash in 4.79 seconds at the combine.