Aug. 21—BROOKINGS — John Pica has taken the long road to playing for South Dakota State football.
After a successful pair of seasons at Dakota Wesleyan University playing at the NAIA level, the offensive lineman product from Dell Rapids St. Mary has carved out a reputation for the Jackrabbits as a player who is dedicated and committed to making the most of his college football experience.
"It's been an interesting path but it's been a rewarding one," Pica said. "I've had a great experience to this point and I'm really just trying to maximize every chance I get to make an impact and help this team win."
Pica, a 6-foot-4, 310-pound senior for the Jacks, is one of 13 players who came to SDSU's roster from an institution lower than FCS on the college football hierarchy, and he's the only NAIA-level transfer at SDSU this season.
Jackrabbits head coach Dan Jackson, who brought in Pica to his program after being named head coach in early 2025, said Pica is a special individual on the team because he's bought into SDSU's culture and has become a leader.

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