By Ryan Deal 

605 Sports

TIMBER LAKE — NFL dreams came true on Friday night in tiny Timber Lake, South Dakota. 

South Dakota State University tight end Tucker Kraft is the newest Green Bay Packer after getting drafted in the third round of the NFL Draft. 

The Packers selected the FCS All-American after a run of tight ends were taken ahead of him. But any frustrations during the three-hour wait went away once the life-changing call came in. 

“That was surreal for sure and a lot of emotion,” Kraft said. “I didn’t want to cry, but it happened. I had so much work built up to this moment.”

Tucker Kraft is a Green Bay Packer. It’s great to be a Timber Lake Panther. #NflDraft pic.twitter.com/5aKD6LMTAD

�" Ryan Deal (@RyanDeal_605) April 29, 2023

The small West-River community relished the moment, too. Kraft’s draft party was held in the Air Kraft Spraying airport hangar and the crowd of more than 200 erupted for the once-in-a-lifetime moment. 

“It was the most excitement I have seen Timber Lake have in a long time,” said Jake Kraft, who is Tucker’s uncle. “It was pretty cool.” 

The overflowing crowd included family, friends, coaches and teammates. Kraft was surrounded by his immediate family and instantly hugged his mother, Tausha, as the tin hangar echoed with pride. 

“I am so proud of him and so proud of the support,” Tausha said. “Just to see the smile on his face and the warmth in his heart when he took that phone call, that’s all that matters.”

Tucker Kraft celebrates with a Green Bay Packers hat to the crowd while celebrating with friends, family and supporters during a watch party for Tucker on Friday night. (Photo courtesy Matt Gade / Rapid City Journal)

Kraft bursted with emotions shortly after the moment, hugged everyone in sight and chants of “Go Pack Go!” serenaded the special occasion. 

“That was a roar,” Tucker said. “I was just trying to be on the phone with Green Bay but for about 10-15 seconds there I couldn’t hear them. Everyone was screaming. The town of Timber Lake roared.”

In addition to Tausha, Tucker was surrounded by his fiancee Baylee Jandahl and brothers Cody and Tanner. The moment hadn’t set in for Cody afterward as his brother received the call of a lifetime. 

“I don't have any words for it other than I am still kind of in awe,” said Cody Kraft. “I don’t know how long it’s going to take to sink in, but it sure ain’t gonna be tonight.”

The moment was missing one key figure. Tucker’s father, Doug, who died in 2013 in a single-plane crash and was an NAIA All-American wide receiver at Huron University. 

Doug is buried within walking distance of the hangar and Tucker was near his father’s grave as he talked with the Packers’ personnel. 

“He would be the proudest man on earth right now,” Jake said.  

Tausha joked she better keep her cold weather gear for Green Bay games and knew Doug would crack a joke about his son’s next destination. 

“I wish he was here,” Tausha said. “But if there’s any joke to be played on us it would be him saying ‘You don’t get to go somewhere warm. You are going to stay cold.’ ” 

Tucker Kraft is all smiles alongside his fiancee' Baylee Jandahl while on the phone with the Green Bay Packers organization during a watch party for Tucker. (Photo courtesy Matt Gade / Rapid City Journal)

Kraft was Green Bay’s second tight end taken in the draft. The Packers took Oregon State’s Luke Musgrave in the second round. Kraft, however, looks forward to competing and playing with his new teammate. 

“I knew they wanted to set up that 12 personnel (two tight end sets),” Tucker said. “Unstoppable offense and that’s something I hope we can bring to Green Bay. I hope that’s what Green Bay has in mind.”

Tucker talked with the head coach, offensive coordinator and received a text from Green Bay quarterback Jordan Love to start their initial conversations. 

“The Green Bay Packers in me are getting someone that is ferocious,” Tucker said. “They want to punish their opposition on the other side of the football. My biggest thing is I want to establish myself in the offense. I want to be someone they can rely on every single down.”

Kraft was still in awe not long after the moment and it still hadn’t set in he’s a Green Bay Packer. 

“It probably hasn’t,” he said. “It won’t set in until I am pulling up on the tarmac in Green Bay.”