Brock Purdy

Brock Purdy Heisman Trophy Odds & Analysis For 2020 Season

Written by on May 14, 2020

Iowa State has never had a Heisman Trophy winner, but quarterback Brock Purdy is good enough to change that this year. Here are two props available to wager at Mybookie on Purdy’s Heisman Trophy chances and Iowa State’s 2020 college football season – assuming there is one – and an overview.

Brock Purdy Heisman Trophy Odds & Analysis For 2020 Season

Purdy played at Perry High School in Gilbert, Arizona. He passed for 8,937 yards and 107 touchdowns in his career. Purdy was a three-star recruit and ranked as the No. 36 pro-style quarterback in the Class of 2018. He named the Gatorade Arizona Player of the Year as a senior.

Purdy got offers from Boise State, Iowa State, Kansas, Central Florida, Alabama, Illinois and Texas A&M. He took all five of his awarded official visits – Boise State, Iowa State, Central Florida, Alabama and Texas A&M in that order – and chose the Cyclones in a bit of an upset.

Purdy entered his true freshman year at Iowa State as the third string to Kyle Kempt and Zeb Noland but became the starter after Kempt was injured and Noland was ineffective. In his NCAA debut against Oklahoma State (well, first game with significant action), he had 402 yards (318 passing, 84 rushing) of total offense, the ninth-best single-game effort in school history. Purdy accounted for five touchdowns vs. the Cowboys (four passing, one rushing). He hit on 18-of-23 passes (78.3%), tying for the 11th-best single-game completion pct. mark in school history.

Overall, Purdy led Iowa State to a 7-2 record and a trip to the Alamo Bowl as a freshman and had a 6-1 record as a starter vs. conference opponents. He became the first true freshman quarterback to start a game for ISU since 1995. Purdy broke ISU’s single-season mark and ranked 15th nationally in completion percentage (66.4 pct.), connecting on 146-of-220 passes for 2,250 yards (ninth in school history).

He broke the school record for passing efficiency in a season at 169.9, ranking sixth nationally. Purdy was fourth in the nation in yards per completion (15.4) and also was a threat as a runner, ranking second on the team in rushing with 308.

Last year, there was no doubt that Purdy was the starter. Iowa State finished 7-6 following a 33-9 loss to No. 15 Notre Dame in the Camping World Bowl. In that game, he completed 17-of-30 passes for 222 yards. Not only was Purdy held to just 7.4 yards per pass, but he was sacked three times and hit in the pocket a number of other times.

Purdy started all 13 games while compiling the most prolific season by an Iowa State quarterback in school history. He set 18 school records (game, season, career) during the season, including passing yardage (3,982), passing touchdowns (27), completions (312), total offense (4,231) and 300-yard passing games (6). He tallied the second-best passing efficiency total (151.07) and the third-best completion percentage (65.7 pct., 312-475) in school history.

Purdy had nine games of 300 yards of total offense to rank fourth nationally. He was the first Cyclone since Alex Espinoza (1986) to lead the conference in passing yardage (306.3), ranking fourth in the nation. He was fifth nationally in total offense (325.5) and sixth in completions (312, 24.0) and set a school record by throwing for a touchdown in 12-straight games. He also set school record for touchdowns responsible (35)

The sophomore was one of four players in FBS with at least 27 passing touchdowns and eight rushing touchdowns (Justin Fields, Jalen Hurts, Trevor Lawrence). His eight rushing touchdowns was second on the team and tied for the fifth-most by a Cyclone QB. Purdy was one of three players in FBS with at least two 6-TD games (Joe Burrow, Anthony Gordon) and led his team to three fourth-quarter comeback victories (UNI, Texas, Kansas). Purdy was named second-team All-Big 12, only the second Cyclone signal-caller to earn first- or second-team all-Big 12 recognition (Seneca Wallace).

Pro Football Focus graded Purdy as the 11th-best QB among passers to qualifying for grading in both 2018 and 2019. Additionally, Purdy had the lowest rate of negatively graded throws in which he was able to throw on rhythm. This year, Purdy should break the school’s career passing touchdown record (50) after just a few games. He could easily be a first-round pick in the 2021 NFL Draft if he declares.

Iowa State will be a huge favorite on Sept. 5 against FCS school South Dakota.