Since being selected by the New York Jets in the second round (No. 36 overall) of the 2022 NFL Draft, Breece Hall has emerged as one of the best running backs in the NFL. He’s flashed glimpses of brilliance and seems poised for superstardom. For those who aren’t familiar with Hall, here’s everything to know about the Jets RB and his NFL journey.
How Tall Is Breece Hall?
At the NFL Combine, Hall measured in at 5’11 1/4″. This is actually above average for an NFL running back, as the average height at the position is 5’10 3/4″.
Also, Hall’s arm length is 31′ 1/4″ while his hand size is 9′ 3/4″.
How Much Does Hall Weigh?
Hall weighed in at 217 pounds at the NFL Combine, but he is currently 220 pounds.
Similar to his height, this is above average for an NFL running back, as the average weight of his peers is just 214.4 pounds.
How Old Is Hall?
Hall was born on May 31, 2001, making him 23 years old. Since Hall was very young when he entered the 2022 NFL Draft, he’s actually still younger than some prospects in the 2024 NFL Draft, including Los Angeles Rams running back Blake Corum and New York Giants running back Tyrone Tracy Jr.
What School Did Hall Go To?
Hall attended Wichita Northwest High School in Kansas. As a junior, Hall rushed for 2,082 yards and totaled 36 touchdowns. During his senior season, he rushed for 2,127 yards and 29 touchdowns, earning Wichita Metro Player of the Year honors.
Despite his monster high school stats, Hall was only a three-star recruit. Still, he received offers from Iowa State, Iowa, Kansas, Kansas State, Louisville, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, Ole Miss, Purdue, Rutgers, TCU, and Tennessee.
He ultimately committed to Iowa State, where he remained for the entirety of his three-year collegiate career.
Revisiting Hall’s College Career
Hall was thrown right into the fire as a true freshman at Iowa State, playing in 12 games in his first collegiate season and starting the final seven contests. Over that span, he amassed 897 yards and nine touchdowns on 186 carries. On top of that, he caught 23 passes for 252 yards and another score.
Hall was named a first-team Freshman All-American for his production in 2019, but that was only a warm-up. In 2020, Hall legitimately exploded onto the college-football scene, barreling through Big 12 defenses to the tune of 1,572 yards and 21 touchdowns on 279 carries. He was named Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year and was a first-team All-American at his position.
Hall’s 1,572 rushing yards led the nation, as he rushed for 106 more yards than Najee Harris despite playing one less game. On top of that, Hall was also the only Division I-A running back besides Harris to eclipse 20 touchdowns on the ground. Hall’s all-around excellence earned him Heisman consideration.
Is there any RB in college football that you are taking over Breece Hall?pic.twitter.com/JEXyVJeSTe
— Pro Football Network (@PFN365) October 5, 2021
The Heisman consideration continued in 2021 when the Iowa State RB carried the ball 253 times, amassing 1,472 yards and 20 touchdowns. He also caught 36 passes for 302 yards and three touchdowns. Hall once again landed in the top 10 in Heisman rankings.
After his junior season, Hall declared for the 2022 NFL Draft. Hall was drafted with the No. 36 pick in the second round.
How Fast Was Hall’s 40-Yard Dash?
At the NFL Combine, Hall ran a 4.39-second 40-yard dash. This ranked sixth among all running backs in the 2022 NFL Draft, behind Pierre Strong Jr. (4.37), Isiah Pacheco (4.37), D’Vonte Price (4.38), Ty Chandler (4.38), and Kenneth Walker III (4.38).
Hall’s Fantasy Outlook
I’m all for overthinking things, but I truly think Hall’s struggles (consecutive finishes outside of the top 35 running backs and only one week ranking better than RB12) are simple.
1.8 inches.
That’s how much yardage Hall is picking up before contact per carry this season. The thought process entering this season was that Aaron Rodgers would demand defensive respect and thus open up running lanes that Hall had yet to see in his young career.
That hasn’t been the case through five weeks. Not even close. On the bright side, the Buffalo Bills allow the third most yards per carry before contact to running backs. Could this be the great right spot that Hall’s managers have been pleading for?
Hall was on the field for 74.6% of offensive snaps last week, his highest rate since Week 1 and he’s pacing for 95 targets. I think his role is still in the range of what you hoped for this summer, you just need Rodgers to round into form.
Is that a safe bet? Far from it, but I’d rather take my chances there with a new head coach at the command than sell an elite talent at potentially a rock-bottom price.
