Iowa State Football: Top 3 Cyclone prospects for the 2021 NFL Draft

A budding Iowa State football legend

The 2021 NFL Draft class is one going to be one of the best in terms of the quarterback prospects. Outside of Clemson’s Trever Lawrence and Ohio State’s Justin Fields, there are plenty of options for some of the average teams to playoff-caliber teams that need a new franchise quarterback.

Since Brock Purdy took over the starting quarterback position in 2018 as a true freshman, the Cyclones have found some hope for the future. He has been the most established quarterback that Iowa State has seen in the past number of seasons.

Last season as a sophomore, Purdy completed 312 passes for 3,982 yards, 27 touchdowns, nine interceptions and a 151.1 quarterback rating. He also rushed for 249 yards and eight touchdowns on 93 carries. He was selected as an All-Big 12 second-team quarterback.

Purdy’s best traits as a pocket passer are his accuracy to throw the ball into a window for his receivers to catch the ball while being contested. He possesses a good release on the ball that doesn’t slow down for the receiver to catch it. He is an athletic quarterback that can play in multiple different RPO-style plays.

If Purdy has a great 2020 season, he will push himself to be one considered as the fourth quarterback prospect in the 2021 NFL Draft. A team like the New Orleans Saints could draft Purdy and train him to be a reliable system quarterback without being put too much pressure in his first season in the league.