From now until the 2025 NFL Draft, we will 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 Cincinnati running back Corey Kiner.
No. 21 COREY KINER, RB, CINCINNATI (R-SENIOR) – 5085, 209 POUNDS
SHRINE BOWL PARTICIPANT
MEASUREMENTS
| Player | Ht/Wt | Hand Size | Arm Length | Wingspan |
| Corey Kiner | 5085/209 | 7 3/4 | 30 1/2 | 75 1/2 |
| 40-Yard Dash | 10-Yard Dash | Short Shuttle | 3-Cone | |
| 4.57 | 1.59 | 4.96 | N/A | |
| Broad Jump | Vertical | Bench Press | ||
| N/A | 31.5 | 19 |
THE GOOD
— Possesses good burst and quickness when hitting the hole
— Compact frame with good mass relative to his height
— Size and density make him difficult to tackle with a low center of gravity
— Has impressive contact balance that will break through arm tackles
— Does a good job regaining his balance when taking body shots
— Has good vision to hit cutback lanes and sneak through narrow gaps
— Processes what is in front of him well to adjust to defenders in the open field
— Gets downhill in a hurry as a runner
— Has shown natural hands as a pass catcher
— Willing pass protector that will step in front of the heat of the blitz
THE BAD
— Doesn’t have immediate speed and burst out of his stance
— Long speed lacks that second gear to pull away from defenders in pursuit
— Small hands are a concern when it comes to ball security
— Small frame can hinder his ability to carry the load as a three-down back
— Fights hard on contact, but lacks extra size and strength to push the pile
— Very modest sample size as a pass catcher in college
BIO
— Senior prospect from Cincinnati, OH
— Won Ohio’s Mr. Football Award his senior year in high school
— Division V Offensive Player of the Year winner as a senior (1,866 yards, 35 touchdowns)
— Ran for over 4,000 yards in his junior and senior seasons despite sitting out 34 quarters of action due to blowouts
— Four-star recruit according to Rivals
— Committed to the LSU Tigers out of high school
— Played in 11 games as a receiver in 2021 and had 79 carries for 324 yards and two touchdowns
— Transferred from LSU to Cincinnati ahead of the 2022 season
— Played in 10 games as a reserve in 2022 and had 81 carries for 362 yards and five touchdowns
— Started all 12 games in 2023 and had 1,047 rushing yards and five touchdowns on 192 carries, along with 12 receptions for 49 yards
— Started all 12 games in 2024 and had 1,153 yards and four touchdowns on 204 carries, along with 16 receptions for 111 yards
TAPE BREAKDOWN
Corey Kiner was Cincinnati-born and bred, dominating the gridiron at Roger Bacon High School as a prep athlete, rushing for over 4,000 yards as a junior and senior in high school, winning Ohio’s Mr. Football Award as a senior. He decided to leave Ohio to attend college at LSU, but after one season, Kiner opted to return to the Queen City, where he would star as a junior and senior in college, rushing for back-to-back 1,000+ yard seasons.
When you pop in the tape on Kiner, the number one trait you would use to describe him is his contact balance. He’s built low to the ground and easily breaks through arm tackles, ranking second in the Power 4 and fourth in the FBS with 80 missed tackles forced on the year, per Pro Football Focus. Watch the clips of Kiner below breaking through would-be tacklers as he passes the line of scrimmage, staying upright after contact as he picks up additional yardage.
Kiner has good vision for a runner, making quick adjustments in space to cut to another hole or sneak through a small space between defenders. Check out the clips below of Kiner evading multiple defenders in the first clip during the Shrine Bowl practices and the game, cutting to get into open space. In the second clip, watch Kiner sneak through the gap against Pittsburgh and then make a nice cut to his left to evade another defender in the secondary to pick up additional yardage before getting pushed out of bounds.
Kiner doesn’t have game-changing speed as a runner, but he does possess a good burst when he sees the hole and gets downhill in a hurry. He is a no-nonsense runner whose timed speed matches his tape. Watch the long run Kiner rips off here against Houston, making one cut as he approaches the line of scrimmage and taking it the distance for a 44-yard house call.
Kiner’s passing game work was a bit sparse in college, with his best season in 2024, when he had 111 yards on 16 receptions. However, Kiner has shown that he can be a capable pass catcher out of the backfield, with soft, sure hands. He can also run routes out of the backfield, as you can see in the clip below, in 1-on-1s at the Shrine Bowl, making some nice catches in tight coverage.
Kiner cannot only operate as a pass catcher out of the backfield but also step up in pass protection to help keep the quarterback clean against the blitz. His slow center of gravity helps him stay centered against oncoming pass rushers, and he will also throw himself at defenders, like in this clip below against UCF, cutting down the defensive back coming off the edge on the blitz.
CONCLUSION
Corey Kiner is an undersized, yet stout runner with impressive contact balance and vision for his size. He was underutilized in the passing game in college, but he has the skill set to do more in that area of the game at the next level. Still, Kiner projects more as a backup/committee back than a lead back at the next level, having average speed and quickness, where he would fare well coming in relief of more of a feature back in a change-of-pace role.
When coming up with a pro comp for Kiner, Kimani Vidal came to mind as a similar-sized back with similar athleticism and traits as a runner, as Vidal also displays good contact balance and vision. Vidal went in the 6th round of the 2024 NFL Draft, a similar range that I would expect Kiner to get drafted late on Day 3 or be a priority UDFA signing.
Projection: Late Day 3/UDFA
Depot Draft Grade: 6.7 – Fifth Round (Backup/Special Teamer)
Games Watched: vs Pitt (2024), at UCF (2024), vs Houston (2024), Shrine Bowl
