North Dakota State tight end Josh Babicz bringing Bison pride to the 2022 NFL Draft

North Dakota State tight end Josh Babicz heads to the 2022 NFL Draft with a final season résumé that would be the envy of almost all his fellow prospects. Few players can lay claim to having won a national championship and play in the prestigious Rose Bowl in the same season, but Babicz can. Furthermore, his final college game showcased what the Bison tight end can bring to the NFL.

Josh Babicz, a proud blocker with pass-catching prowess in the 2022 NFL Draft class

“I put my head down and worked hard,” Babicz told me during a recent sit down with Pro Football Network. “That game was a great representation of what I created of myself through my five years and what my coaches helped create of me. Being a dominant blocker, and whenever I get the opportunity in the passing game to seize it.”

In the walkover win that marked a return to FCS National Championship-winning form for North Dakota State, Babicz was the epitome of what the NFL looks for in the tight end position. On one play, he took a pass from quarterback Cam Miller 35 yards to the house to put the game out of reach for Montana State. On another, he paved the way for a long gain on the ground, blocking for nearly 30 yards as the play developed downfield.

While touchdowns grab all the headlines (and there are plenty of those on Babicz’s résumé), the blocking element of the position that he displayed on that play in the FCS National Championship is something that the North Dakota State tight end prides himself on. Some players are willing and accept contact. Babicz instigates and dominates.

“I pride myself a lot. I was new to blocking, new to the tight end position when I came into college. My position coach, the veterans ahead of me, taught me what it means to be a dominant blocker. Through my five years, I felt like I became that. I became one who could go up against anybody and block my butt off!”

High school experience helps develop pass-catching ability at a young age

While North Dakota State developed a proud blocker, Babicz’s success as a pass catcher can be traced back to Barrington High School. Growing up in Illinois, the son of Polish parents who arrived in America at a young age, Babicz was raised on a diet of flag football and the influence of Rob Gronkowski. In high school, he combined playing pass catcher with quarterback, while troubling opposition defenses on the ground. The exposure to different positions helped form a deeper understanding of the game.

“Having different skill sets for each position, getting more and more experience with each part of the game of football, really helped my game to excel into the college level and hopefully into the pros,” Babicz said.

The versatility on the football field helped fuel a productive senior season at Barrington. Babicz contributed 1,073 all-purpose yards and 12 touchdowns, which included 8 receiving scores. Meanwhile, he honed his skill set even further by excelling at basketball and volleyball. He could have pursued a career on the court but instead harnessed the athletic development into his football ability.

“I think tremendously,” answers the North Dakota State tight end when asked how his volleyball excellence translated to the football field. “Just from the explosiveness standpoint. Being able to jump for jump balls when I’m catching it. Or move quickly side to side. Having that little bit of quickness for a guy of my size.”

From Barrington to Bison Pride

Despite playing for one of the bigger schools in Illinois in “great atmospheres packed with thousands of people,” Babicz didn’t attract huge amounts of attention in the 2017 recruiting class. A two-star recruit by 247 Sports, his recruiting process was understated compared to his senior season production.

“I wasn’t a very high-rated person,” Babicz said. “Bigger schools like the Big Ten and Pac-12 really weren’t looking into me. But, I got my chance in the FCS Missouri Valley. I got one FBS offer from Wyoming. But, the only places I wanted to look at were North Dakota State and Illinois State. One’s my hometown college, and the other is super successful in the FCS.”

North Dakota State has become synonymous with success at the FCS level. Since 2011, the Bison have won all but two of the FCS National Championships. It’s an unprecedented level of success, with anything short of a title being deemed a failure. While the success has bred expectation, it has also developed a feeling of something special, a football community bound by victory and pride.

“It’s just a culture and tradition that NDSU has,” Babicz explains. “We call it Bison pride, just what it means to be a Bison up there. Everyone has their own definition. Even fans have their own definition of Bison Pride. Up there, NDSU is the only major sports near North Dakota. Everybody really loves football up there. The state loves us, and it was a blast playing there.”

Sacrificing early playing time for physical development

Although Babicz describes his playing time at North Dakota State as a “blast,” that game exposure didn’t come until 2018. He redshirted his freshman season in Fargo and was limited to special-teams reps without logging a single reception in 2018. While some might find it frustrating, both experiences proved valuable in their own way.

“To me, it’s a developmental program,” Babicz said. “Being able to get into the weight room with our strength coach, getting my weight up, getting my strength up so that I was ready to play in the next year. Also, diving into the mental part, our offense, the playbook so that I know I’m ready to go whenever I need to.”

Babicz arrived in Fargo at 220 pounds. He leaves North Dakota State for the 2022 NFL Draft at 255 pounds. He credits strength and conditioning coach Jim Kramer and “a see-food diet (I see food, so I eat food)” for his ability to become a physically impressive tight end. Furthermore, he understands the value his 2018 experience gives him as he heads towards the NFL.

“It’s going to be super important. To make a roster, most guys need to be on special teams. You need to show your versatility, playing on offense and being a help on special teams. NDSU has prepared me greatly for this. We have one of the best special teams in the country. Learning from my coaches and bringing that to the next level will be super important.”

A breakout year for Babicz as he develops an unbreakable bond

He’d undergone physical and mental development during his first two seasons, but on the field, Babicz had precious little production to show for it. However, that all changed almost immediately in 2019. In the season opener against Butler, the North Dakota State tight end took 2 of 3 receptions to the house for touchdowns.

“That first one was amazing,” Babicz said. “I mean, especially coming off that 2018 year where I didn’t catch a ball, going into 2019 right away and getting that first touchdown. That feeling was amazing. You can’t really describe it, especially the first one. Every single one after is just as amazing and just as much energy as the first one.”

Babicz was a part of a 2019 tight end room with Ben Ellefson and Noah Gindorff that combined for 16 touchdowns as the Bison captured another FCS National Championship. Iron sharpens iron, and the trio developed a trust on and off the field that turned into an unbreakable bond.

“They were some of my best friends, especially Noah, as I came in with him. We practiced together, lifted together, went through meetings, went through the hell of conditioning during summer and winter. Just being able to play with those guys, I found a strong trust. Trusting that the other guys are going to do their job and you don’t have to worry about anything else than focusing on your part.”

Going out in style

The disruption of the 2020 season was particularly hard-hitting at the FCS level. North Dakota State played just one game in the fall before competing in the 2021 spring season. While that season fell short of expectations, they rebounded to a national title in the fall.

“It’s what every senior wants,” Babicz said. “It’s what every player in our program wants. Going out on top is the best feeling in the world. Knowing that you gave it your all through all five years, just for that moment.”

It would prove to be Babicz’s final season in Fargo. Although he had one more season of eligibility, the North Dakota State tight end opted to declare for the 2022 NFL Draft before the title game.

“It wasn’t easy,” said Babicz as he reflected on his decision to focus on turning pro. “Many months leading up to our last game of the regular season, just before senior day, talking to parents, my fiancé, coaches, teammates, seeing where everything is at. Seeing where I am, NFL grade-wise. I felt like I was doing good, kept on progressing, getting better and better. I was coming out healthy. In the end, I felt declaring was the best opportunity either way for me.”

From Fargo to Pasadena for the NFLPA Bowl

As an impressive blocking tight end with pass-catching prowess, Babicz’s decision to declare for the 2022 NFL Draft opened up All-Star possibilities. Having won a national championship at the start of January, the North Dakota State tight end was lining up in the Rose Bowl stadium for the NFLPA Bowl by the end of the month.

“Right when I stepped into the stadium, I was like, whoa!” Babicz said. “The amount of history that is there, the amount of games that I’ve watched from my coach, it was like ‘Whoa, I’m actually able to play on this field, play a full game, practice.’ It was surreal, amazing.

“Just learning from all these amazing coaches who used to be players in the league. Them giving us their experience, what to look for, what to watch out for. They taught me a bunch of stuff.

“From the pre-process, combine, pro day, their experiences of getting into the NFL. Learning all that stuff really helped me to understand what it means to be an NFL player and what it takes to be one. I had really good conversations all week with NFL scouts and feel like I accomplished something positive.”

With the NFL dream in touching distance, Babicz is a developed tight end prospect in the 2022 NFL Draft

A high school wide receiver who came into North Dakota State as a somewhat slender pass catcher, Babicz has developed into an impressive all-around player in the 2022 NFL Draft. He knows his time in Fargo has furnished him with the skill set to meet the needs of the modern-day NFL tight end.

“I’ve definitely increased my physicality, my toughness,” Babicz said. “Those are two big characteristics you need to play the tight end position. You need to be gritty, you need to work your butt off. You have to do a facet of things. You’ve got to block, you’ve got to know the whole route tree. You’ve got to learn all the motions, every place on the field. That being drilled into me from Day 1, makes sure I have the physicality that I need to continue into the next level.”

Physicality. Dominance. Tough. Accountable. All words that can be used to describe North Dakota State tight end Babicz — not just as an NFL Draft prospect, but as a person. He takes pride in his development and in what he brings to the tight end position. But what would it mean to him to hear his name called in April?

“The world,” Babicz said. “This has been a dream since I was a little kid. Every single year, every single progression, from high school to college, it’s become more and more of a reality. If I get selected, it’s a dream come true.”