Scouting Profile: DJ Giddens - RB - Kansas State
Sales Pitch: Checks all the boxes for a lead back in terms of testing, production and size, but an inconsistent playing style makes it hard to project him into a starting role at the next level.
*Gold Numbers Indicate NCAA T-25 for 2024*
Scouting Report
DJ Giddens was an unrecruited running back from the state of Kansas coming out of high school. Despite his lack of pedigree, he was extremely successful at Kansas State with 25 consecutive starts to finish his career. Giddens was a two-time All-Big 12 back and is coming off back-to-back 1,200+ yard seasons.
Giddens on paper, looks like the ideal lead back in an offense. He has above average size at 6-foot 210+ pounds, with top end testing numbers for speed and explosiveness. He is a younger back, at 21 years old, who has proven the ability to take on a full workload with back to back 200+ carry seasons. At his best, Giddens is a scheme versatile back with the speed and power to be a difference maker. When he gets his shoulders downhill to the line of scrimmage his powerful upper half rips through arm tackles and has the speed to separate at the 2nd level. He possesses a devasting jump cut to make defenders miss in the hole and work to lanes when running in traffic. Giddens has the contact balance and burst to string together broken tackles at all three levels as a runner. He also showed the ability to split out wide and run real routes as a receiver.
Giddens’ highlights look like a Top-50 player in this class, but are too far and few between. He has a very inconsistent running style and fails to live up to his testing numbers. Giddens’ is a reactionary runner who struggles to anticipate and set up blocks in between the tackles. He routinely passes up open cut back lanes and runs into the back of his own blockers. He is quick to bounce when color flashes in the hole and piles up a lot of negative runs. Despite Gidden’s explosive combine numbers, his overall play speed is closer to average. His trepidation as a runner prevents him from getting up to full speed and his long legged frame can struggle to quickly change direction in traffic. Giddens has the frame to be a good power runner, but his upright running style allows defenders to win the leverage battle in the hole. He lacks the leg drive or knee bend to lower his pads and finish runs falling forward. Giddens is capable route runner but has a major drop problem, because he often fights balls outside his frame. He is also a poor pass protector who will struggle to see the field on third downs even if his pass catching improves.
Gidden’s profiles best as a rotational zone runner. While he has experience in a variety of schemes, he is at his best when attacking downhill with speed and power, so a simplified outside zone offense should best help him utilize his tools. His physical gifts at only 21 years old will make a team take a shot on him, but it’s hard to project Gidden’s much higher than an early Day-3 pick given his inconsistencies.