Iowa State Standout Named Top Trade Candidate After Frustrating NFL Season

A couple of years ago, former Iowa State Cyclones star Breece Hall appeared to be one of the top up and coming running backs in the NFL, and entering his third professional season with the New York Jets in 2024, many had him pegged as a potential breakout candidate.

However, Hall ended up having a very disappointing campaign, rushing for 876 yards and five touchdowns while averaging a pedestrian 4.2 yards per carry. Yes, he added 57 catches for 483 yards and three scores, but to put it plainly, more was expected from Hall last year.

Now, with the Jets having a new coaching staff in place, Hall is at the center of trade speculation, and Bleacher Report's Alex Ballentine has listed him as one of New York's top trade candidates with training camp approaching.

"The vaunted draft class of 2022 looms large moving forward, though. Sauce Gardner, Garrett Wilson, Jermaine Johnson II and Breece Hall will all be up for contract extensions soon and paying all of them could get pricey," Ballentine wrote.

Let's be honest: the Jets will certainly be extending Gardner and Wilson before Hall, and Johnson may even have the edge, too. New York has a couple of young halfbacks in Braelon Allen and Isaiah Davis that will probably get more playing time in 2025, as well.

Hall spent three seasons at Iowa State, leading the Big 12 in rushing touchdowns back-to-back campaigns in 2020 and 2021. He also led the country with 1,572 yards on the ground in the former year.

Overall, the 23-year-old racked up 3,933 yards and 50 rushing scores during his time with the Cyclones while also catching 82 passes for 734 yards and six touchdowns. The Jets took him in the second round of the 2022 NFL Draft.

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