From now until the 2025 NFL Draft, we hope to scout and create profiles for as many prospects as possible, examining their strengths, weaknesses, and what they can bring to an NFL franchise. These players could be potential top-10 picks, down to Day 3 selections, and priority undrafted free agents. Today, a scouting report on Kansas State RB DJ Giddens.
No. 31 DJ GIDDENS, RB, KANSAS STATE (R-JUNIOR) – 6010, 212 POUNDS
MEASUREMENTS
| Player | Ht/Wt | Hand Size | Arm Length | Wingspan |
| DJ Giddens | 6010/205 | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| 40-Yard Dash | 10-Yard Dash | Short Shuttle | 3-Cone | |
| N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | |
| Broad Jump | Vertical | Bench Press | ||
| N/A | N/A | N/A |
THE GOOD
— Possesses the size and height you look for in a feature back
— Has enough juice to hit the home run when he gets into the open field
— Possesses the size and strength to break through tackles and keep legs churning
— Bounces off body shots regularly
— Displays good contact balance when approaching the line of scrimmage
— Has impressive evasiveness for his size, making defenders miss
— Has good vision to find the hole and hit it to get into the second level
— Can juke defenders in the open field as well as bounce runs toward the sideline
— Effective pass catcher out of the backfield with good hands
— Has the size to sit in as a pass protector
THE BAD
— Lacks top-end speed for the position
— Bulk for his size is good, but more of a lean frame
— Can get caught in the backfield due to lack of initial juice
— Size and height make him prone to more body shots as a runner
— Pass protection needs some work in terms of technique and consistency
BIO
— Redshirt junior prospect from Junction City, KS
— Born August 26, 2003
— Business Administration major
— Two-star recruit according to Rivals
— Committed to Kansas State and redshirted his first season in 2021
— Signed an NIL deal with WTC Fiber
— Played in all 14 games in 2022 as Deuce Vaughn’s backup and rushed for 518 yards on 89 carries with six touchdowns along with eight receptions for 98 yards
— Started all 13 games in 2023 and had 223 carries for 1,226 yards and 10 touchdowns along with 29 receptions for 323 yards and three scores
— Started all 12 games in 2024 and had 205 carries for 1,343 yards and seven touchdowns along with 21 receptions for 258 yards and one score
— Second-team All-Big 12 (2024), All-Big 12 Honorable Mention (2023)
TAPE BREAKDOWN
DJ Giddens starred on the gridiron in Kansas in high school and opted to stay in-state with the Kansas State Wildcats. After Giddens redshirted his first year on campus, it didn’t take him long to make an impact, rushing for over 500 yards as Deuce Vaughn’s backup. Giddens cracked the starting lineup in 2023, rushing for back-to-back 1,200+ yard seasons before deciding to go pro.
When you pop in the tape on Giddens, you see a tall, long runner who has a good burst when he reaches the second level. He can take it the distance when he gets into open space like on the rep you see below against Oklahoma State, making one defender miss in the second level before ripping off the long house call.
As you can see in the clip above, Giddens is a fairly elusive runner for his size, having the agility and quick feet to evade defenders attempting to bring him down. Check out the clips below of Giddens making multiple defenders miss as he runs through the hole, getting into the second level, and picking up additional yardage after the juking/side-stepping away from would-be tacklers.
Giddens also does a great job of displaying contact balance, staying upright and driving his legs on contact like you can see in the clips below against Colorado, picking up additional yardage after being wrapped up in the first clip while the second clip shows Giddens taking a body shot, but keeps his footing and progresses downfield for more yards, eventually getting taken down by multiple defenders.
When it comes to pass protection, Giddens has the size as well as the makeup for it, but he needs to be more consistent in sitting into his blocks and punching with his hands rather than throwing himself into defenders like in the clip below, slowing down the blitzer, but failing to lock him up and allowing him to get to the quarterback.
CONCLUSION
DJ Giddens is a high-cut runner who has been productive and efficient during his time as a starting running back, displaying a good blend of burst, quickness, and strength. He doesn’t have the home run speed nor elite pass-catching skills, but he is competent in every category, making him a player who should contribute quickly and likely push for a feature-back role one day.
When coming up with a pro comp for Giddens, Chuba Hubbard came to mind as another high-cut runner who has good size and play speed but wasn’t seen as the freak athlete. However, after backing up Christian McCaffrey for a couple of years, Hubbard broke into the starting lineup and shined in 2024, earning himself a lucrative contract extension.
I see a similar trend for Giddens who is likely to go somewhere on Day 2 or early Day 3 of the draft. The Steelers could use another running back pending what happens with Najee Harris in free agency, and Giddens has plenty of qualities that they show interest in.
Projection: Late Day 2
Depot Draft Grade: 7.9 – Potential Starter/Good Backup (3rd Round)
Games Watched: vs Oklahoma State (2024), at Colorado (2024), vs Texas Tech (2024)
