Is Bryce Lance related to Trey Lance? Inside 2026 NFL Draft prospect's connection to Chargers QB originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The Lance family has been decked in starlight in recent years, with Trey Lance garnering interest -- positive and negative -- for his exploits in the professional game.
Four years after entering the league, Lance will be joined by another familiar face in the NFL ranks.
Bryce Lance emerged as one of FCS' finest pass-catchers across a two-year spell at North Dakota State. Now, he readies for the spotlight -- a spot on an NFL roster beckons following the 2026 NFL Draft.
With that, here's a look at Bryce and Trey Lance's connection to one another.
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Yes. Bryce Lance is, indeed, related to Trey Lance. The two are brothers, bonded by blood.
Trey was the first to take to the field, emerging as a standout quarterback at North Dakota State. A three-star talent out of Marshall High School, Lance took the reins of the Bison's offense in 2019. He proceeded to lead NDSU to its second-straight national championship, throwing for 2,786 yards and 28 touchdowns to zero interceptions.
Lance saw his final season of college end prematurely due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Bison planned to return to the field in early 2021. However, Lance opted out, preparing to enter the 2021 NFL Draft instead.
MORE: Full list of every North Dakota State upset against a FBS opponent
The 49ers selected Lance with the No. 3 pick in the 2021 NFL Daft. It was an ambitious move for San Francisco, who already had Jimmy Garoppolo at its helm.
Lance was the understudy, tasked with learning tricks of the trade from his veteran counterpart. Lance's time with the Niners was marred by injury. He was cut down by a season-ending ankle injury two weeks into his sophomore campaign. Lance returned to action in 2023 but sat third on the depth chart behind Brock Purdy and Sam Darnold. Before the 2023 season, he was dealt to the Cowboys in exchange for a fourth-round pick.
Lance has played sparingly in the years since his trade, starting just two games. In 2025, he signed with the Chargers, serving as Justin Herbert's backup for the 2025 season. He'll return to that post in 2026.MORE: How much time do teams get between picks in the NFL Draft
Trey and Bryce both attended North Dakota State. Bryce followed his brother's footsteps, enrolling at the school after a glistening pass-catching career at Marshall. While Trey's success swirled in his head when making his decision, the choice was Bryce's alone.
“It’s special for sure, I know that my brother accomplished a lot there, but I also knew it was my decision as well,” Bryce said, according to the Marshall Independent. “My brother and parents were supportive through the process and I looked at all of my options, and I felt that NDSU was the right fit for me.”
Like his brother, Bryce enjoyed a sizzling tenure in green-and-yellow. After reeling in just one catch across his first two seasons, Bryce came into his own as an upperclassmen, posting back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons. In 2024, he helped lead the Bison to a national championship.
He did all that in a famous No. 5 kit -- the same number Trey rocked so fiercely across his career.
"You know, we're really close. So just kind of carrying on that five tradition here at NDSU was definitely cool," Bryce said, per NCAA.com.MORE: The most iconic draft day outfits in NFL history
It's unclear for sure if Trey and Bryce played with one another in high school. Trey finished his high school career in 2017, the same year that Trey entered into the high school ranks. Given his age and weight, it seems unlikely that he got serious playing time as a freshman. But it is possible he fielded passes from his brother.
Trey and Bryce did not play together in high school. They both attended Marshall High School. But Trey finished his high school career in 2017 --