2022 NFL Draft Profile: Breece Hall, Running Back, Iowa State

Breece Hall is slowly creeping towards claiming the consensus RB1 spot in this draft class. This 2022 NFL Draft Profile showcases why Hall is separating himself from the pack.

Profile

Name – Breece Hall

Position – Running Back

School – Iowa State

DOB – May 31, 2001 (21 years old)

Height – 5’11 1/4”

Weight – 217 Pounds

Hand Size – 9 3/4”

Arm Length – 31 1/4”

Wingspan – 75 7/8”

40-Yard Dash – 4.39 Seconds

Broad Jump – 10’6”

Vertical Jump – 40”

Background

Breece Hall has excelled at every level he has played. He grew up in Wichita, Kansas and attended Northwest High School. He put up numbers that will make you chuckle. Over 2000 rushing yards and a total of 36 touchdowns is what he put up as a junior in high school. You’d think that was crazy enough, but Hall essentially repeated the same success as a senior (2000+ rushing yards and 29 total touchdowns). This was enough to earn the attention of schools’ all over the country.

From Mississippi to Michigan to Iowa to TCU, there was no shortage of options at Hall’s disposal. He ultimately chose to enroll at Iowa State University, citing a chance to get immediate playing time as the deciding factor. Hall got exactly what he was looking for. With back-to-back 1000+ rushing yard seasons, David Montgomery entered his name into the 2019 NFL Draft. This left a void that the true freshman from Wichita was eager to fill. He hit the ground running — literally and figuratively.

Hall assumed the lead back role from day-one and never relinquished it. After rushing for 897 yards as a freshman, Hall put up some crazy numbers during his final two seasons in Ames. In 2020, he rushed for 1,572 yards while sporting a healthy 5.6 yards per carry. Oh yeah, he found the end zone 21 times as well! His final year was more of the same, this time rushing for 1,472 yards and maintaining nearly six yards per carry. He chipped in another 20 touchdowns on the ground. Just another day at the office, right?

Hall showed up in Indianapolis for the NFL Scouting Combine, hoping to put to rest the concerns regarding his athleticism. He did so by posting a 4.39 in the 40-yard dash, as well as jumping an astonishing 40 inches in the vertical jump. He moved extremely well when on the field, and followed up an impressive showing by producing a phenomenal pro day workout a couple weeks later. After a storied collegiate career, Breece Hall is hopeful to hear his name called on day-one. Let’s breakdown what he does well and what parts’ of his game could stand to improve.

Best Traits 

Speed – Breece Hall’s speed doesn’t jump off the screen most times, but you won’t find many instances of him ever getting caught from behind. He’s not necessarily fast, but he has plenty in the tank to break through the line and outrun safeties to the house. Hall is deceptive when hitting the second level and pulls away from defenders with ease. There are faster out there, but with Hall’s skillset, 4.39 is more than enough for him.

Production – Hall combined for 3044 rushing yards and 41 rushing touchdowns in his final two seasons at Iowa State. That type of production over a two-year span is not matched by anyone of his peers’ at the position in the 2022 NFL Draft. The raw counting numbers are fun, but the fact that he got them so efficiently with a 5.7 yard per carry average on 532 attempts.

Vision/Patience – The most impressive part of Hall’s game is his ability to slow everything down. He is never, ever in a hurry. I paired vision with the patience because they go hand-in-hand. Much like Le’Veon Bell used to do for the Steelers, Hall allows his offensive line to get a bit of a head start and chills in the backfield until a hole opens up. Hall is faster than Bell, so there’s reason to believe that he is going to be a problem for opposing defenses’.

Big Play Ability – Even though he isn’t the fastest guy in the world, Hall has a number of plays on tape of him taking runs 20, 30, 40 yards to the house and leaving defenders in his dust. The patience he utilizes can be used to take advantage of aggressive linebackers. The second that Hall sees an oncoming player over pursue, he flips the switch and accelerates through the opening. Once Hall decides to turn it all the way up, good luck bringing him down.

Three-Down Potential – Hall has a 40” vertical and hauled in a few spectacular catches during his time in college. A one-handed catch on fourth down versus Oklahoma has been living rent free in my mind ever since seeing it. Hall is a menace with the ball in his hands, shaking defenders with his athleticism but also being willing to put his shoulder down and drive through tackles.

Needs Improvement

Usage – Admittedly, this is something that doesn’t hold much weight for me but it is worth mentioning. He carried the ball a ton in three years as a full-time starter, compiling a total of exactly 800 touches. A lot of teams’ missed out on a franchise running back in Jonathan Taylor due to a fear of high mileage. While Hall’s ceiling isn’t quite as high as Taylor’s, he has nearly 200 fewer touches coming out of college. After seeing Taylor blossom into arguably the best running back in the league, I don’t see teams’ holding the usage against Hall.

Blitz Pickup – The biggest flaw in Hall’s game is far and away his pass protection. Specifically, his ability to identify and pick up a blitz. There are too many times where Hall is left looking for someone to block. This is not a way to get on the quarterbacks’ good side. There are some offensive systems’ that send running backs out on routes every passing down, so in the right spot this isn’t even a concern for teams’. Regardless, it is the only trait that is holding Breece Hall back from being the hottest commodity in fantasy football drafts this fall.

Final Thoughts 

Hall put up numbers that no one in this class can hold a candle to. Hall’s patience is among the best single traits of any position in the 2022 NFL Draft. He allows the offensive line to get where they need to be and then uses his deceptive speed to bust through the open gaps and create massive gains.

He is almost never caught from behind, so his lack of an elite top gear is not something that will hold him back. Hall possesses more than enough explosiveness for his NFL frame. Usage remains an issue for many, but it is being overblown in the same way that Jonathan Taylor was penalized heading into the 2020 NFL Draft. Taylor ultimately fell to the middle of round two before hearing his name.

Considering how the running back position is valued these days, I wouldn’t be surprised if none are selected on the opening day. Whenever the first running back is taken though, I’d be willing to bet that it is Iowa State’s Breece Hall who comes off the board first.