Breece Hall - RB- Iowa State
Welcome to the rookie profile for Breece Hall. Hall has all the skills to be a legit 3 back down in the NFL and with improvement on his passing side of the game, he could be a pro-bowl caliber back. He has the size and skills to be a difference-maker. Whilst in last year’s draft all the running back hype was surrounding Najee Harris, in 2020, it was Breece Hall who took the yardage crown with 1572 on the ground.
Measurables
Height: 5′ 11″
Weight: 215 lbs
Age: 21
40-yard dash: 4.39s
3-cone drill: DNP
20-yard shuttle: DNP
Vertical Jump: 40″
Broad Jump: 126″
Bench Press: DNP
College Stats
Notable Headlines
Hall made a name for himself as a senior at high school where he rushed for 2127 yards and 29 scores in the end zone on the year. In his senior year, he received first-team All-Metro and first-team All-State honors as well as being named the Wichita Metro Player of the Season. He was in high demand after a successful year and opted for Iowa State after receiving offers from Michigan and Ole Miss.
Hall put up good numbers in his freshman year as he rushed for just shy of 900 yards and found the end zone 9 times. In his sophomore year, Hall put the Nation on notice and established himself as a dynamic part of Iowa State’s run game. He helped them to the Big 12 title and the Fiesta Bowl, contributing with 1572 yards on the ground and 21 touchdowns. Hall was also the first player since the Hall of Fame running back, LaDanian Tomlinson, to rush for over 100 yards with a rushing touchdown in seven straight games to start a season. Hall also contributed in the receiving part of his game with 23 grabs for 180 yards and 2 touchdowns. He was named the Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year for 2020.
In 2021 Breece Hall put together another impressive year as he was once again crowned the leading rusher with 1472 yards and 23 total touchdowns, good enough to be named the Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year for the second year in a row. He also hauled in a career-high 36 receptions and put up a record 302 yards.
Scouting Report
Positives
Hall is a legitimate 3 down bell-cow kind of back and he’s a smart and patient runner who is a quality one cut back and understands how to read the second-level blocks. He has very natural hands out of the backfield and rarely fumbles the ball. A genuine impact player with possibly the best vision in this year’s draft class, an instinctive and decisive back who will pick gaps and explode into them with ease.
Whatever you do make sure that you don’t leave Hall with open space, as an extremely elusive back he will get the business done and has plenty of speed to burn. He’s also a strong player who possesses a good stiff arm and is good at making yards after contact
Hall is a constant danger in the running game as he has good patience, can read the game very well and his acceleration helps him explode into the second level of the defense very quickly. I’d personally say that his playmaking abilities are the best of the running class which helps him make big plays out of nothing.
Negatives
Hall doesn’t have any alarming concerns however whilst he does have natural speed ability he’s by no means a dead cert to take it home especially against NFL-level defensive backs, he may well even get caught by linebackers too.
The modern day NFL running back must have the ability to catch the ball, whilst he has shown improvement year on year and he has improved his route running and catching the ball he will need this part of his game to continue improving.
As much as Hall has caught our attention throughout college his impressive collegiate career it may be concerning to scouts as to how much workload he’s already seen (718 rush attempts and 82 receptions) – questions they’ll be asking is will this workload eventually take its toll on Hall?
Pre Draft Analysis
Expected Draft Capital- Round 2
Landing Spots
A team that will be looking for a consistent running back will be the Miami Dolphins as Gaskin doesn’t appear to be their answer. And after missing out on Javonte Williams in last year’s draft, they surely can’t miss out on another opportunity for an elite running back for the future. Another Florida team who may have their eye on Hall is the Buccaneers, with Fournette and Jones both out of contract and I don’t see them both getting renewed. The Bucs may even look to save money by drafting a genuine 3-down back for the long-term in Hall and keep Gio Bernard as their third-down specialist to support Hall.
Post Draft Analysis
New York Jets- Round 2, Pick 4
Fantasy Impact
The New York Jets had a great draft and added the best talents across offense and defense. Breece Hall was certainly the best running back in the class and now heads to a team where he’s more than likely to be the lead back. This doesn’t make great reading for Michael Carter owners and despite an impressive rookie year, it appears his fantasy stock value has imploded like a lead balloon.
Hall is a player who will have a lot of touches across his rookie season and offers value as a receiver out of the backfield. He is best viewed as an RB2 albeit in a dynasty league where he just edges in as an RB1.
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Image Credit: Brian Powers – USA TODAY Sports
