FARGO, N.D. – North Dakota State head football coach Matt Entz announced Monday, Dec. 21, the addition of transfers Quincy Patterson and Brayden Thomas to the Bison program.
Patterson, a quarterback from Chicago, played in three games as a sophomore at Virginia Tech this fall. He appeared in 13 career games including one start for the Hokies. Thomas, a defensive end from Bismarck, N.D., had his senior season at Minnesota State Mankato canceled this fall. He will be eligible to play this spring at NDSU.
Patterson was one of the top quarterback recruits in the nation out of Solorio Academy in Chicago. He was invited to the Elite 11 quarterback competition in 2017 after competing in a regional with former NDSU quarterback Trey Lance. In 13 games at Virginia Tech, Patterson was 22-of-52 passing for 359 yards and four touchdowns while rushing 74 times for 333 yards and three scores. He passed for a career-best 139 yards at Notre Dame in his first collegiate start.
Thomas had a breakout junior season in 2019 starting all 15 games for Division II national runner-up Minnesota State Mankato. He was named to the All-Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference second team after registering a team-best 21.0 tackles for loss and 11.5 sacks. Part of two state semifinal teams at Bismarck High School, Thomas played in 11 games as a true freshman at the University of Mary in 2016 before transferring to Minnesota State Mankato.
North Dakota State (1-0) is scheduled to resume the 2020-21 football season on Sunday, Feb. 21, hosting Youngstown State in the first of eight Missouri Valley Football Conference games. The 16-team NCAA Division I football playoffs are slated to begin April 24.
