Cincinnati Bengals' Cordell Volson to start at left guard for team's NFL season opener
By Tom Mix
NDHSAA Media Specialist
VALLEY CITY, N.D. – Cordell Volson’s first professional football game will be played with the 6-foot-6, 315-pound offensive lineman hearing his name read over the PA sound system as a starter.
Volson will start at left guard when the Bengals play the Pittsburgh Steelers in the season opener on September 11 at Paycor Stadium in Cincinnati.
Volson was drafted by the Bengals, who are defending American Football Conference (AFC) Champions, during the fourth round (136th overall) of the 2022 NFL Draft held in Las Vegas on April 30. Volson watched the draft with family and friends in his hometown of Balfour, N.D.
Volson signed with the Bengals in June and began his offseason workouts prior to training camp starting later in the summer.
Volson joins a successful Bengals squad who made it all the way to the Super Bowl last season before losing to the Los Angeles Rams. Volson will now be tasked with protecting Bengals star quarterback Joe Burrow.
Prior to his collegiate career at NDSU, Volson was a standout lineman playing 9-man football for Drake/Anamoose earning NDHSCA All-State First Team honors in 2015 (senior season) as a defensive lineman.
At NDSU Volson played in a school record 65 career games including 41 consecutive starts over his last three seasons with the team. He was part of four FCS National Championship teams with the Bison and a member of five NDSU squads that won Missouri Football Conference championships. Twice, Volson was named to the Associated Press FCS All-America First Team.
Volson joins Carson Wentz (Washington Commanders; 2011 Bismarck Century graduate) and Connor McGovern (New York Jets, 2011 Fargo Shanley graduate) as active NFL players who played high school football in North Dakota.
NOTABLE PLAYERS FROM NORTH DAKOTA & THEIR NFL STARTING DEBUTS
Cordell Volson (2016 Drake HS graduate)
First NFL Start (w/ Cincinnati Bengals): September 11, 2022 vs. Pittsburgh Steelers
Dan Arnold (2013 Fargo Shanley HS graduate)
First NFL Start (w/ New Orleans Saints): November 11, 2018 vs. Cincinnati Bengals
Carson Wentz (2011 Bismarck Century graduate)
First NFL Star (w/ Philadelphia Eagles): September 11, 2016 vs. Cleveland Browns
Connor McGovern (2011 Fargo Shanley graduate)
First NFL Start (w/ Denver Broncos): December 3, 2017 vs. Miami Dolphins
Brent Qvale (2009 Williston graduate)
First NFL Start (w/ New York Jets): November 8, 2015 vs. Jacksonville Jaguars
Brooks Bollinger (1998 Grand Forks Central graduate)
First NFL Start (w/ New York Jets): October 2, 2005 vs. Baltimore Ravens
Jim Kleinsasser (1995 Carrington graduate)
First NFL Start (w/ Minnesota Vikings): September 19, 1999 vs. Oakland Raiders
Phil Hansen (1986 Oakes graduate)
First NFL Start (w/ Buffalo Bills): September 8, 1991 vs. Pittsburgh Steelers
Doug Beaudoin (1972 Jamestown HS graduate)
First NFL Start (w/ New England Patriots): September 10, 1978 vs. St. Louis Cardinals
Randy Hedberg (1973 Parshall graduate)
First NFL Start w/ Tampa Bay Buccaneers): September 18, 1977 vs. Philadelphia Eagles
Dave Osborn (1962 Cando HS graduate)
First NFL Start (w/ Minnesota Vikings): During 1966 NFL season.
Steve Myhra (1952 Wahpeton HS graduate)
First NFL Start (w/Baltimore Colts): During 1957 NFL season.
Pete Retzlaff (1949 Ellendale HS graduate)
First NFL Start w/ Philadelphia Eagles): During 1956 NFL Season.
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