Breece Hall, Eyioma Uwazurike last Cyclones to sign rookie deals

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Iowa State running back Breece Hall runs past defenders for a touchdown in the Cyclones’ 48-14 win over TCU on Nov. 26, 2021.

Christian Royston

Breece Hall signed his rookie contract with the New York Jets on Tuesday, making him the last Iowa State player to ink their rookie deal.

NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport announced early Tuesday that Hall would sign his four-year rookie deal. Hall was holding out until the start of training camps to get details ironed out.

The signing became officially later in the day as the Jets announced Hall’s signing and contract value.

Hall’s contract is worth over $9 million with an average yearly value of $2.25 million. The contract also includes a signing bonus of over $3.7 million, according to OverTheCap.

The Jets also guaranteed 100 percent of Hall’s salary through year three of his contract. This is a massive leap from previous second-round contracts, as last year’s 36th pick received less than 60 percent of the third-year salary guaranteed.

Hall was drafted in the second round by the Jets and was the first running back taken off the board. His high draft stock was due to his productive career as a Cyclone.

In Hall’s final year in cardinal and gold, he broke several records, including the NCAA record for consecutive games with a rushing touchdown (24). He finished his 2021-22 campaign with 1,472 rushing yards and 20 rushing touchdowns, adding three more touchdowns in the air.

Hall’s consistency as a rusher and strength in the passing game caught the eyes of scouts before the NFL Draft as he was projected at the top of the running back group. After a quiet first draft day, the Jets took a chance on Hall, making him the highest Iowa State player drafted since 2012.

Hall earned every bit of the hype as his record-breaking season earned him his second Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year award and First-Team All-American honors. 

The Jets needed an elite talent in the running back position, as the team ranked 27th in total rushing yardage last season. The Jets reloaded over the offseason, and Hall was the last piece to get his deal.

Hall was also the last Iowa State player to sign his rookie deal, as defensive lineman Eyioma Uwazurike inked his contract June 23. Uwazurike was selected by the Denver Broncos in the fourth round of the NFL Draft with pick No. 116.

Uwazurike was a two-time honorable mention All-Big 12 selection with 34.5 career tackles for a loss and 15.0 career sacks. In his final season with Iowa State, Uwazurike recorded an impressive 12.0 tackles for a loss and nine sacks.

Like Hall, Uwazurike was one of the final draft picks on his team to sign his rookie deal. His contract is worth $4.4 million over four years.

Uwazurike also earned himself a signing bonus of $765,872, according to OverTheCap. His yearly average adds up to over $1 million.