Ball-Hawking NDSU Safety James Hendricks Brings Playmaking Pedigree
James Hendricks established himself as a reliable, high-impact **free safety** for North Dakota State, finishing a strong 2019 season as the Bison’s fifth-leading tackler with **73 tackles** and adding **39 solo stops** and a career-high **9 tackles** in a playoff win over Illinois State.[2] He also showed real turnover production in earlier returner coverage work, posting **5 interceptions** and a fumble recovery, which points to strong instincts and ball skills rather than just chase-and-tackle production.[1] For teams, his fit is straightforward: he brings a proven blend of tackling, range, and takeaways that can stabilize the back end of a defense.[1][2]
