Finding Broncos: Breece Hall | RB | Iowa State
Measurables
- Height: 5-foot-11
- Weight: 217 pounds
- Arms: 31 ¼ inches
- Hands: 9 ¾ inches
Combine Results
- 40-Yard Dash: 4.39 seconds
- Broad Jump: 126 inches
- Vertical Jump: 40 inches
Stats
Pros
- A tough, physical runner with great patience in a zone scheme.
- Vision to find holes is a plus.
- Clears his feet through the gap well enough to work in a power scheme.
- Amazing pass protection back that sniffs out blitzes and arrives with force.
- Long speed to take it to the house from any distance. Has five career 75-yard touchdowns.
- Adjusts to lead blockers well, almost guiding them with his motions and quicker cuts in the backfield.
- Solid hands as a receiver and works well in space as a route runner.
Cons
- Though he has long speed, his quick-twitch build-up is lacking.
- Probably best as a zone runner due to lack of shifty creativity and burst to get through narrow creases in the power game.
- Can get caught guessing rather than reading in the backfield, leading to shorter runs.
- Over 800 career carries at the collegiate level.
- Balance is lacking on sharper cuts.
Overview
Breece Hall is a truly proven back capable of handling a full workload at the next level. He's a dynamic back in open space that can take it to the house in any situation. Getting him into open space can sometimes be a hassle due to a lack of elite-level burst and acceleration.
A single-pace runner who doesn't variate his speeds, Hall can be effective with open running lanes and rip long runs easily. He is shifty more than twitchy but has enough wiggle and power to bowl through secondary players and juke out linebackers at the second level. When he gets going, it's incredibly difficult to bring him down.
In the passing game, Hall does his best work behind the line of scrimmage as arguably the best pass protection back in this class. He is strong at the point of attack, has great vision to identify blitzes, and doesn't give much ground when contact is initiated. As a receiver, getting him the ball quickly in the flats has proven effective as his ability to create in open space against smaller defenders is a plus trait.
All in all, Hall fits best in a zone-heavy scheme that moves laterally, allowing him to see those holes open and get downfield, rather than bury his head into a group of defenders at the line of scrimmage. He can work early in his career as a big contributor to a rotation with enough ability to handle the work as the lead back.
Fit with Broncos
Aside from a lightning bug, quick-twitch, third-down receiving threat, there probably isn't a better complement to Denver Broncos' starting running back Javonte Williams in this class. Both Williams and Hall have the patience and vision to work in the new wide zone running scheme that Nathaniel Hackett is going to deploy, and they both have similar skill sets in the passing game.
In essence, when one leaves the field, you replace him with the same type of player, leaving no need to change the play-calling of the offense and get the team out of rhythm. They could also work well as a tandem to keep each other fresh and lessen the natural wear and tear that running backs take at the NFL level.
Hall would be a great value at the 64th pick for the Broncos — if the team chooses to add to an already talented backfield. While it may leave a bad taste in the mouths of Broncos fans due to the trade-up and selection of Williams in Round 2 last April, Hall would be a fine addition to finish rounding out an elite corps of weapons for Russell Wilson.
Grade: Mid-Round 2
Where he Goes: Round 2
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