Saturday was a long day for Chase Lundt.
The former UConn offensive lineman, home in Arlington, Texas, waiting to hear his name called in the NFL Draft, received four or five “prank calls” throughout the day. Finally, around 5 p.m., Buffalo Bills GM Brandon Beane was on the other end of the line for real.
Rated as a fourth- or fifth-round talent, Lundt finally saw his name cross the TV screen 30 picks into the sixth round. He became the second Husky drafted in the last three years under coach Jim Mora and the program’s 45th all-time draft selection, its ninth offensive lineman.
“It’s one of those moments that you dream of your entire life, just being drafted in the NFL,” Lundt said on a call with Buffalo reporters. “Just being able to soak that moment in and to live through that moment and be there with your family, I think that’s just a super surreal moment… For it to happen the way it did, I’m kind of glad it did because now it gives me a chip on my shoulder and I know that the team I’m coming to work with is going to do everything they can to prepare me and make me the best player I can be.”
Lundt will join his former teammate Ryan Van Demark on the Bills. They played one season together in 2019 with Van Demark the starter at left tackle in his final season and Lundt at right tackle in his first.
“I think I bring a lot to the table when it comes to my explosiveness and tenacity, I’ve been able to dominate players in my first step off the ball, I think I’m a really good run blocker, especially with the team that I was in at UConn,” Lundt said, describing his play-style and noting Van Demark as one of the mentors who helped him along the way.
Buffalo, of course, has competed at the top of the league for the last six years but hasn’t been able to get over the Super Bowl hump. Lundt gets the opportunity to protect the 2024 MVP, quarterback Josh Allen.
“I’m glad Buffalo gave me this opportunity because now I can prove a lot of these other teams wrong and know that I’m on a really good team in a really good situation with a great group of guys,” he said. “I know that means they’re going to demand a lot more out of us in terms of making sure we’re up to speed on everything, but I’m willing to make that adjustment. Coming from the college program that I just came from, I knew that Coach Mora was trying to do everything he could to put us in the best position to succeed each and every single day and I know Coach (Sean) McDermott is going to do the same.