RB Rankings: A Closer Look At #1 RB Breece Hall

With the off-season upon us we will be removing the players that have moved on to the NFL from our player rankings and re-ranking for the 2021 season. Before we jump into Breece Hall being ranked number one, here’s a few reminders about the rankings themselves:

• The rankings will be updated throughout the season.
• Players who have not played college football are not eligible for the rankings.
• Players are graded on their college ability, not their pro potential.
• We are judging players on their film, production and physical tools.

You can view the College Football RB Rankings here.

Iowa State running back, Breece Hall holds the top spot in our rankings to start the 2021 season after finishing the 2020 season in the same spot. His main competition last year came from Najee Harris and Travis Etienne and both will be moving on to the NFL. Hall broke into the starting lineup as a true freshman and elevated his game to another level as a sophomore. He was a consistent threat for the Cyclones and earned the top spot in the rankings as a result.

Productive And Getting Better

As a true freshman, Breece Hall took over as Iowa State’s primary ball carrier five games into the season. He had four 100 yard games over the last eight games of the season. Hall ran for 897 yards and 9 touchdowns on 189 carries, doing almost all of that damage in the final eight games of the season. What made his performance more impressive was the inconsistency of the offensive line he was running behind in 2019. Hall showed the ability to make people miss and gain yardage on plays where others would take a loss.

In 2020, Hall just kept getting better. He proved he was ready to be the workhorse back in the Iowa State offense and was impossible to contain. Hall was able to run for 100 yards in the first eight games on the season. Even in the three games he did not reach 100 yards, he eclipsed 90 twice and ran for 79 in the third. Hall never really had a bad game, finishing the season with 1,572 rushing yards and 21 touchdowns on 279 carries in twelve games. No one in the country was more consistent on a week to week basis. In a year of uncertainty, Hall was as close to a sure thing as there is in college football.

Hall’s Ability

Breece Hall is a powerful running back but has the soft, quick feet of a smaller back. He is patient in the backfield, waiting for a lane to present itself before cutting and exploding through it. He changes directions well and has good acceleration, these two skills combined allow him to take advantage of the slightest openings, even when they are only open for a short time. Hall has the balance to keep his feet after making a tough escape or after taking contact. Once he is in the open field, he also has enough speed to outrun the defense and finish the run with a score.

Do not be fooled by Hall’s quickness, balance and patience as a runner, he is also a powerful runner who is violent on contact and difficult to bring down. He drives the pile back and punishes smaller defenders who attempt to square him up and make the tackle. Hall makes the most of his power because he has an array of moves and does a good job of keeping defenders off balance before contact. He is an effective weapon in short yardage situations and on the goal line where he can use his leg strength to drive the pile. Hall has the strength and build to be a workhorse and has shown the ability to wear down defenses over the course of the game.

Hall does not get enough credit for his ability to catch the football effectively out of the backfield. He is a good safety valve for his quarterback who is consistent when catching the ball and dangerous in space after the catch. Hall can get downfield on wheel and angle routes creating mismatches against linebackers in the passing game. While his receiving ability is not the first thing that comes to mind, Hall is not a one dimensional player, his versatility allows Iowa State to use him effectively in different situations.

Hall is a complete running back who can hurt the defense in a variety of ways. He is a patient runner who has the vision and burst to make the most out of every play. Hall has the make you miss ability and speed to be a big play threat at any time. He is a powerful runner who is a load to bring down and wears on the defense. His skill set and consistency make him a player that his teammates want to block for, knowing that he will take advantage of their effort and make a big play.

Great Expectations In 2021

Iowa State’s offense will return plenty of talent around Hall next season. Brock Purdy is back to quarterback the offense and he will have star tight end Charlie Kolar and leading receiver Xavier Hutchinson to throw to again in 2021. The offensive line got a boost when starting left tackle Sean Foster announced his intention to return. There will be proven players all over the field for the Cyclones offense. With all of that talent returning there is no reason Hall should not be able to build on his success from the 2020 season.

Hall is good enough at running back to make plays when he does not have much help around him, but with a strong passing game, an experienced and talented offensive line and a quarterback that can keep the ball and run, there will be plenty of space for Hall to take advantage of. Hall has all the talent needed to take full advantage of those opportunities and turn in another great season in Ames. Hall and his teammates will have great expectations in 2021, but this group has proven they can take the program to new heights.

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ISU vs. OSU 2019-10-26 image taken by Daniel Hartwig is licensed under CC BY 2.0.