Up until Matt Campbell’s arrival, Ames wasn’t traditionally a place where NFL scouts would think to go for top talent, but things have changed in recent years.
Iowa State hasn’t become a football factory like Alabama or Ohio State by any means, but the Cyclones are putting a few players on NFL rosters and watching them make real contributions at the next level.
If you’re looking for ex-Cyclones to follow on Sundays either for pleasure or for betting, you’ve now got a lot of possibilities to track. Maybe you’d like to play some of these players to score a touchdown, hit their projected rushing or receiving numbers, or add them to your fantasy football team.
Whatever you’re interested in, if you’re looking to watch ex-Cyclones in the NFL, these are some of your options.
1. Allen Lazard
Lazard has developed a nice niche for himself as someone that Aaron Rodgers can trust with the football, and once he’s fully healthy again, he might return to the form that made him a solid bet to score a touchdown in 2021.
He hauled in 40 passes in 2021, and eight of them ended up in the end zone, a full 20 percent of his receptions.
So far, he’s not off to a great start because his ankle has bothered him, which has led to just two catches in his first two games. But as soon as he’s back to full strength, he’s likely to once again be an important part of the Packers’ passing attack.
Seeing green & gold 😎@AllenLazard | #GoPackGo pic.twitter.com/TxpY7RqCIL
— Green Bay Packers (@packers) August 23, 2022
2. David Montgomery
The Bears are a young team with an inexperienced quarterback, which means Montgomery is going to get his share of the workload. He runs well, can handle a full load and catches his share of passes out of the backfield.
His name is going to appear on the weekly prop plays whenever the Bears take the field, and he’s averaging 4.6 yards per carry so far in 2022.
When the Bears face a bad run defense, that’s the time to throw in a few bets on Montgomery to take a large load of carries and make the most of them.
The Bears won’t be ahead very often, so his fourth-quarter workload will take a hit, but Chicago will use him plenty in the first half of games to try to take pressure off of Justin Fields.
— David Montgomery (@MontgomerDavid) July 14, 2020
3. Kene Nwangwu
Blink and you might miss the only time in a game that Nwangwu touches the ball, as teams aren’t taking a chance on kicking to the explosive second-year former Cyclone this season.
So far, Nwangwu has only had three kick return opportunities in his first two games, as teams usually just settle for the touchback when they’re facing Minnesota.
The Vikings have given Nwangwu a green light to take any kick out of the end zone if he sees an opportunity, mainly because they know that their opponents will go to any lengths to keep him from getting a chance to break a return.
He’s explosive, but he doesn’t really have many chances to make an impact because teams know just what he’s capable of doing.
KENE NWANGWU. He's done it again!
📺: #MINvsSF on FOX
📱: NFL app pic.twitter.com/GHBLv5kVhJ— NFL (@NFL) November 28, 2021
4. Breece Hall
The Jets have no problem giving chances to talented young players, and Hall is making a strong push for a larger share of the workload after just two regular season games in New York. Against the Browns, Hall’s running became a big reason why the Jets battled back and ultimately stunned the Browns to get their first win of the season in Cleveland.
With the Jets looking similar to the Bears, a young team that isn’t going to be contending in 2022, New York is a great place for a young player to get opportunities. Hall managed seven yards per carry when he got his chance, and Robert Saleh is likely to want to see more of what Hall can do in the early going.
The Jets spent a second-round choice on Hall in the draft last spring, so they’re invested in getting him on the field as much as they can. If he keeps playing as he did against Cleveland, Cyclones fans can expect to see their former running back playing with the Jets for several years to come.
When New York calls… you answer. Proud to rep the big city and #TakeFlight with my new squad 🙏 Let's get it @NYJets! Check out my #PaniniInstant card now #WhoDoYouCollect #RatedRookie #NFLDraft https://t.co/7PnTRvtKZB pic.twitter.com/5JTxyiobZ7
— Breece Hall (@BreeceH) April 29, 2022
5. Brock Purdy
While Hunter Dekkers has stepped into Purdy’s shoes in Ames, the ex-Cyclone quarterback has had to settle for running the scout team in San Francisco.
If Purdy sees the field in 2022, something has not gone according to plan in the City by the Bay. Purdy is just one bad hit to Jimmy Garoppolo from becoming the 49ers’ quarterback now that Trey Lance is done for the season, but the 49ers really do not want to have to turn to Purdy at any point this season.
And that’s OK because the 49ers did not add Purdy with the intention of bringing him into action this season. They view him as a long-term project, someone who can either take over if Lance busts, serve as a capable backup who knows the system and can play quarterback in an emergency, or become trade bait for another team.
All of that is likely years down the road, as Purdy is nowhere near experienced enough to take the reins of a team that believes it’s ready to compete for a Super Bowl. If you check out the 49ers in 2022, you’re not going to be watching Purdy do anything but hold a clipboard as long as Garoppolo stays healthy.
Introducing… Mr. Irrelevant!
With the final pick of the 2022 #NFLDraft, the @49ers
select Brock Purdy! pic.twitter.com/sAtZfvz9qq— NFL (@NFL) April 30, 2022
6. Charlie Kolar
For the moment, Kolar is on injured reserve, so he won’t be able to play a down in purple until at least Week 5 of the 2022 NFL season. But even if he were healthy, he’d have a hard time breaking into the starting lineup in Baltimore because the Ravens have Mark Andrews as their starter.
The Ravens have always been the kind of team that drafts for value rather than need, which explains why they took both Kolar and Isaiah Likely in the draft last spring.
That means Kolar is likely blocked for the time being as well as the foreseeable future. Baltimore signed Andrews to a four-year extension worth $56 million in 2021, so he’s going to be the Ravens’ tight end until 2025 as long as he stays healthy.
The best-case scenario for Kolar is that the Ravens dangle him as trade bait to a team that needs a young tight end so that they can get a piece that would allow them to contend in the AFC North.
Kolar has plenty of talent, but Baltimore is not going to pay Andrews $14 million a season to sit on the bench when they can trade an asset who is under a controlled rookie contract.
Until he gets dealt, he is unlikely to play much.
Charlie Kolar continues to prove himself as one of the nation’s best.@JohnMackeyAward #ProveIt
🌪️🚨🌪️ pic.twitter.com/W4bwO4dHcm
— Iowa State Football (@CycloneFB) October 24, 2019
7. Enyi Uwazurike
Uwazurike might have difficulty getting enough playing time early on in Denver, as the Broncos believe that their window to win a championship is open right now and won’t be open for very long. Uwazurike’s best assets are time and his history, as he has shown that he can bulk up over time without sacrificing any of his ability or athleticism.
He’s also incredibly versatile, which could give the Broncos more ways to get him on the field as they rotate players during long defensive drives.
These things set him up to play long-term rather than getting on the field right away in 2022, but that’s always the better situation for a player. Uwazurike’s time is going to come soon in the Mile High City.
Enyi Uwazurike is the first Cyclone with 2️⃣ career blocked field goals since Nick Leaders (2004).
🌪🚨🌪 pic.twitter.com/vTyaFu08aq
— Iowa State Football (@CycloneFB) October 3, 2021
8. Jake Hummel
Hummel has already beaten the odds just by making it on the Rams’ roster, as he went from undrafted free agent to join the Super Bowl champions as a special teams player. Hummel is a sure tackler who is willing to do the grunt work that’s often the difference between being the 51st or 52nd man on the roster and being sent home on the last day of training camp.
The Rams love giving undrafted players opportunities, especially right now, because the more guys they have on lower-level contracts, the more money toward the salary cap they can save for their stars.
Hummel is the kind of player who offers the depth a team needs to make themselves a long-term contender. He’s not likely to win a starting job any time soon because of how experienced the Rams are, but he’ll get regular work making tackles on special teams.
Just got the call about @jakehumms So excited for this dude! pic.twitter.com/lz19IkrnNv
— Andy Pollock (@knightsnclones) August 30, 2022
Who Has the Highest Ceiling in 2022?
Hall or Montgomery will get the most opportunities this season to show what they can do. Both can do a lot on the ground, and both are with teams that are more than happy to give them a full workload as the main running back this season.
Other than Lazard, the rest are more likely to come along slowly and get limited playing time here and there. But each has a key path to eventually getting regular playing time, whether that’s in their current city or with another NFL team.
Credits on Featured Image: Reese Stickland/AllStarTV
