2022 NFL Draft: Iowa State QB Brock Purdy a late round steal?

Outlook

Brock Purdy and Iowa State had one of the better seasons in school history last year, finishing 9-3 and winning a New Year’s Six bowl game. This is the make-or-break year for Purdy and the Cyclones as Iowa State has been trending upwards and the jury’s still out on Purdy as a future 2022 NFL Draft pick.

As of August 8, 2021, VegasInsider.com gives Iowa State the second-best odds to win the Big XII Championship behind only Oklahoma. While the Cyclones have been getting some buzz as a value pick to win the Big XII, doing so will be a monumental task.

Three of Iowa State’s last five games are on the road (at West Virginia, at Texas Tech, and at Oklahoma) and the other two home games are against Texas and TCU.  They’ll likely have to beat the Sooners at least once (in the Big XII Championship Game in Arlington, TX) to secure the conference crown. With how good Oklahoma is going to be, I think Iowa State will be there at the end in the Big XII Championship Game, but I don’t see Iowa State winning that game or the Big XII.

As for Purdy, I think he has a better statistical year than 2020, but not quite as good as 2019. I think his lack of arm strength, suspect decision-making, and average athleticism put a ceiling on his potential, both at Iowa State and in the future. But the team around him, while lacking truly elite talent, should be good enough to land the Cyclones in another New Year’s Six bowl, putting the eyeballs of many draftniks squarely onto Brock Purdy.

My prediction is that Purdy will be selected in the late fourth round or early fifth round of the 2022 NFL Draft.