AMES, Iowa – Iowa State running back Breece Hall is NFL bound after being selected in the second round by the New York Jets as the No. 36 overall pick of the 2022 NFL Draft.
A two-time consensus All-American out of Wichita, Kansas, Hall is the highest Cyclone drafted since offensive lineman Kelechi Osemele (Round 2, Pick 60) in 2012. Hall also becomes the third Cyclone running back selected in the last four NFL Drafts.
Hall was dominant as the feature running back for the Cyclones, rushing for 3,941 yards and 50 touchdowns in his career. He finished second on ISU’s career list for rushing yards, 100-yard games (20) and yards per carry (5.48). He was also third in school history in career all-purpose yards (4,675) and receptions by a running back (82). In total, Hall finished his Iowa State career owning or sharing 11 school records.
“Breece has prepared for this moment and I am thrilled for him and his family,” Iowa State head coach Matt Campbell said. “Breece had a really special career at Iowa State and played such an important role in the success our program has had the last few seasons. The Jets are getting a special player and person and I look forward to watching his career going forward.”
Hall earned back-to-back Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year honors, one of just four players in league history to earn the honor multiple times (Ricky Williams, Texas; Jason White, Oklahoma; Baker Mayfield, Oklahoma).
Hall ran an impressive 4.39 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine, finished his Cyclone career with 10 50-yard plays from scrimmage. Hall’s knack for finding the end zone resulted in breaking the NCAA all-time record for consecutive games with a rushing touchdown. He scored on the ground in his final 24 games, saving his best for his final game as a Cyclone when he established career highs in scrimmage yards (281), rushing yards (242), touchdowns (4), and rushing touchdowns (3) against TCU to capture his sixth career Big 12 Offensive Player of the Week honor.
Last season, Hall became the ninth player in school history to reach 1,000 rushing yards multiple times with 1,472 yards, the fifth-best season total in school history. He led the Big 12 and was sixth in the nation in rushing per game (122.7). Hall was tops in the Big 12 and fourth nationally in rushing touchdowns (20), one rushing TD shy from his own school record he set in 2020. He posted seven 100-yard rushing games and three games with over 200 scrimmage yards.
Hall finished in the top-10 in Heisman Trophy voting in 2020 and 2021.
Cyclone Draft Notes
– Hall is the third Cyclone running back selected in the last four NFL drafts, one of five schools nationally with that many.
– Hall is the highest Cyclone draft pick since OL Kelechi Osemele was the No. 60 pick in the 2012 NFL Draft.
– Hall is the fourth Cyclone drafted under Matt Campbell.
– Hall is the seventh Iowa State player to be drafted by the New York Jets and the first since Jeremiah George in 2014.
