Former Iowa State Star Breece Hall Poised for Bounce-Back Season in 2025

The Iowa State Cyclones had the pleasure of possessing multiple NFL-level players with their program, especially during the 2021 season. That year, quarterback Brock Purdy stood out enough to be selected by the San Francisco 49ers in the seventh round.

But the key player from that star-studded team was Breece Hall, who was selected in the second round of the 2022 NFL draft by the New York Jets.

Coming out of college, Hall was widely considered to be the No. 1 running back in his class due to his ability to be a three-down weapon. In three seasons with the Cyclones, he tallied nearly 4,000 yards on the ground, along with 734 receiving yards. And at the time Hall was drafted, the Jets' running back room lacked the proper juice, poising him for a perfect opportunity to excel at the next level.

However, his rookie year was unfortunately derailed after he suffered a season-ending injury in Week 7. The recovery for his ACL went quickly, which allowed him to play in 33 of the teams 34 games over the next two seasons. During the two-year stretch, he totaled 1,870 rushing yards and 1,074 receiving yards.

Despite New York's rough campaign in 2024, the organization made multiple pivotal moves this offseason that could truly unlock his full potential next season.

First, the hiring of former Detroit Lions passing game coordinator Tanner Engstrand will help Hall in both the run and pass game. Engstrand, while he was primarily working with quarterback Jared Goff, is part of the Ben Johnson coaching tree. Johnson did a terrific job with Lions' rushing duo David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs, and Hall could easily replicate the numbers of Gibbs.

In addition to Engstrand joining the organization, Hall will be part of an extremely-talented run game that features dual-threat quarterback Justin Fields at the helm. Having a quarterback that can be a threat on the ground will give more flexibility in the run game. On top of Fields, the combination of Olu Fashanu and Armand Membou at the tackles will help expand the efforts on the ground.

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