The All-Time Iowa State NFL Team

Quarterback Brock Purdy is making a strong case for himself as the greatest NFL player ever produced by Iowa State.

Despite a sterling college career that saw him set 32 Iowa State records and earn three-time All-Big 12 acclaim, Purdy slid in the 2022 draft until the seventh and final round – on the 262^nd and final pick of the draft by the San Francisco 49ers.

Purdy made the 49ers as their third-team quarterback but passed both Trey Lance and Jimmy Garoppolo on the depth chart that fall and took San Francisco to the NFL title game, posting an 8-1 mark along the way. Purdy won the NFL passing title in his second season, earned a trip to the Pro Bowl and took the 49ers to the Super Bowl. He has now won a staggering 70.5 of his career starts through five seasons.

But Purdy still has a way to go before he can claim the honor of  “greatest NFL Cyclone.”

That honor belongs to Matt Blair, who became a second-round draft pick of Minnesota in 1974 and went on to start 130 games and two Super Bowls at linebacker for the Vikings. He was voted to six consecutive Pro Bowls from 1977-82 and was a first-team all-pro selection in 1980. Blair collected 36 career takeaways and was considered one of the greatest kick blockers in NFL history with 20 – 16 conversions, three field goals and a punt.

Here’s Iowa State’s all-time NFL team:

*-QB-Brock Purdy, 5 seasons, Pro Bowl, 2023 NFL passing champion

*-HB-David Montgomery, 8 seasons, 6,253 rushing yards, 66 TDs

FB-Mike Strachan, 6 seasons, 1,902 yards, 19 TDs

WR-Jim Doran, 11 seasons, Pro Bowl, 212 catches, 24 TDs, 3 championship rings

WR-Allen Lazard, 8 seasons, 239 catches, 28 TDs

OT-Gene Williams, 9 seasons, 65 starts

OT-Bruce Reimers, 10 seasons, 91 starts

G-Kelechi Osemele, 9 seasons, 2 Pro Bowls, 101 starts

G-Keith Sims, 11 seasons, 2 Pro Bowls, 133 starts

C-Dick Kasperek, 3 seasons, 20 games

*-DE-Will McDonald, 4 seasons, 23 ½ sacks, 3 FR

DE-Reggie Hayward, 9 seasons, 59 starts, 39 ½ sacks

DT-Ahtyba Rubin, 10 seasons, 107 starts, 15 sacks

DT-Mike Stensrud, 11 seasons, 67 starts, 30 sacks

OLB-Matt Blair, 11 seasons, 6 Pro Bowls, 130 starts, 36 takeaways

MLB-Denis Gibson, 9 seasons, 120 starts, 9 takeaways

OLB-Carl Brettschneider, 8 seasons, 88 starts, 11 takeaways

CB-Joe Beauchamp, 10 seasons, 97 starts, 23 INTs

CB-Larry Carwell, 6 seasons, 57 starts, 14 INTs

S-Marcus Robertson, 12 seasons, 144 starts, 24 INTs

S-Don Webb, 10 seasons, 99 starts, 21 INTs

P-Kelly Goodburn, 7 seasons, 351 punts, 39.9-yard ave, SB ring

KR-Ellis Hobbs, 6 seasons, 141 KR, 26.5-yard ave, 3 TDs

*-ST-Jake Hummel, 5 seasons, 31 ST tackles, 2 blocked punts

LS-Steven Wirtel, Green Bay deep snapper in 2021

*-Still active