Iowa State’s Breece Hall goes 36th overall in 2022 NFL Draft to New York Jets

Iowa State’s Breece Hall didn’t have to wait long Friday to hear his name called in the second round of the NFL Draft.

Hall was the first running back off the board after the New York Jets took him with the No. 36 overall pick.

Hall, who was widely considered either the best or second-best running back in this year’s draft class, also was the first Cyclone to be drafted in 2022.

The 5-foot-11 running back helped his case at the NFL Combine in March, running a 4.39-second 40-yard dash and hitting 40 inches on his vertical jump.

The Jets will get a running back who earned consensus All-America honors and was a Doak Walker Award finalist in each of his last two seasons.

Hall ran for more than 3,000 rushing yards at Iowa State since 2020 at a high efficiency. He averaged 5.6 yards per carry in 2020 and 5.8 yards in 2021.

“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,” Iowa State head coach Matt Campbell said in a news release. “The Jets are getting a special player and person.”

Hall will be on a Jets team that went 4-13 in 2021. New York, which averaged 4.4 yards per rushing attempt last year, traded up two spots to take the former Iowa State standout while giving up the 146th overall pick.

The Wichita, Kan., native will likely be one of many Cyclones to hear their names called this weekend. Iowa State had six players, including Hall, at last month’s NFL Combine. Oklahoma and Baylor were the only Big 12 teams to have more representation in Indianapolis.

Some mock drafts projected Hall to go late in the first round, but instead the Cyclones’ 49-year first-round-pick drought will last at least one more year.

Comments: (319) 398-8394; john.steppe@thegazette.com