CINCINNATI -- In a massive, tool-filled North Dakota garage made for holding payloaders and semi-tractors, Cordell Volson watched April’s NFL draft on a projection screen, waiting to see if all his hard work had paid off.
Finally, the phone rang. With the 136th pick, the Cincinnati Bengals selected the 6-foot-6 tackle out of North Dakota State, making him the Bengals’ only draft pick on the offensive side of the ball. When his name was shown on the giant display, cheers from close friends and family seated around him filled the 12,500-square-foot storage facility.
Video of the reaction was shared on social media, which created a positive first impression with at least one of Volson’s future teammates on the offensive line.