The Pittsburgh Steelers are likely going to be looking for a running back in the 2025 NFL Draft, and while the Steelers could address the position early, it’s a deep draft with a lot of talented prospects who could go on Day 2 and Day 3. Cincinnati RB Corey Kiner is likely a Day 3 prospect, but if he winds up being drafted by the Steelers, he’ll likely be playing with one of his favorite running backs. Kiner named Steelers RB Jaylen Warren as one of his four favorite running backs in the NFL right now during his press conference at the NFL Combine.
“I got Jaylen Warren from Pittsburgh. I got Kenneth Walker in Seattle. I got Jonathan Taylor for the Colts. I got Joe Mixon. That’s my guy, and I like me too,” Kiner said via transcript provided by the PFWA.
Kiner, like Warren, is a shorter back with some bulk, as he measured in at 5085 and 209 pounds. Warren’s listed by the Steelers at 5-8 and 215 pounds, and both Kiner and Warren have a similar playstyle. Kiner was a productive back for the Bearcats over the last two years, with 1,047 yards in 2023 and 1,153 yards last season. He was also a participant in the 2025 East-West Shrine Bowl, and even in a deep running back class, Kiner could find himself being drafted on Day 3.
The Combine testing didn’t do him any favors though, as he measured in with just 7 3/4″ hands, while running a 4.57 official 40-yard dash. Given that Kiner is similar in how he plays to Warren, and the Steelers reportedly want to prioritize finding a running back with speed to get to the edge, it doesn’t seem as if Kiner will likely wind up in Pittsburgh.
Still, it’s cool to hear that Warren is a player he watches and emulates or likes. At the Combine, you hear a lot of the same names for who players like to watch on tape. For defensive linemen, it’s almost always Aaron Donald and Chris Jones. Almost every cornerback this year said they take stuff from Patrick Surtain’s game, and Saquon Barkley is the name you’ll often hear at running back. It’s rare to hear a player say they really like someone like Warren, but it makes sense for Corey Kiner, as Warren is someone with a similar set of tools who’s found a way to succeed in the NFL.
While it’s not a guarantee Warren, a pending restricted free agent, will be back in Pittsburgh next year, it’s a safe bet as Omar Khan said at the Combine that the team plans to tender him. Whether or not they wind up playing together next year or beyond, Warren will always have a fan in Kiner.
