Iowa State starting quarterback Rocco Becht enters the 2025 season with plenty riding on both himself and the Cyclones as a team.
Last year, Iowa State set a program record for wins in a season behind Becht, a third-year sophomore who threw for 3,505 yards and 25 touchdowns with just nine interceptions.
Standing 6-foot-1 and weighing 210 pounds, Becht has the frame and has shown the arm strength to compete at the next level. But what is his NFL Draft stock like for 2026? ESPN’s Jordan Reid recently mentioned Becht in a breakdown of quarterbacks for that class.
Becht, the son of former NFL tight end Anthony Becht, is listed in the best of the rest category along with the likes of Michigan State’s Aidan Chiles, Taylen Green from Arkansas and Iowa’s Mark Gronowski.
Along with recording his second 3,000-yard passing season, Becht showed improvement with his legs. He ran for 63 net yards on 62 carries in 2023, but racked up 318 yards on 98 attempts last year with eight rushing touchdowns.
Reid mentions that Becht has a “sudden over-the-top release that fits perfectly in a Cyclones offense that primarily operates in 10 and 11 personnel sets.” He notes that while he “doesn’t have the physical tools, he is consistent in keeping his eyes down the field and can make tough throws with pressure in his face.”
This year will be key for Becht, as he lost current NFL wide receivers Jayden Higgins and Jaylin Noel. Both are now playing with the Houston Texans, and while Iowa State did a nice job bringing in transfers with experience, it is unknown at this time if they can play to the same level of Higgins or Noel.
