Corey Kiner finished his collegiate career with two straight 1,000-yard seasons, but how does his full NFL scouting report look?
Overview, Film Analysis, And 2025 Scouting Report Of Cincinnati RB Corey Kiner
Measurables:
- 5’9”
- 209 lbs
Player Background:
One of the Top-30 running back recruits in the 2021 running back class, Corey Kiner was a highly touted prospect out of Ohio. He was rated as a four-star recruit and began his career with the LSU Tigers. His lone season with the team was decently productive, racking up over 300 rushing yards and two touchdowns on 79 carries. He entered the transfer portal as a four-star prospect, ending up at Cincinnati.
Kiner’s first season with the Bearcats was replicable to his freshman year, crossing the 350-yard mark on 81 carries, five of which for TDs. He took a massive step forward in 2023, eclipsing 1,000 yards on 192 carries with five scores. 2024 was similar to his breakout campaign, posting 1,153 yards on 204 carries with four TDs.
Accolades:
- Shrine Bowl Invitee (2024)
Strengths/Pros:
Grading out with one of the highest elusiveness scores, Kiner’s compact movements are incredibly quick. His feet are sharp when he needs to tighten up and then explode out of his base. He possesses a fantastic jump cut and gains a ton of ground on the interior when working between gaps. He’s quite fluid in the open field when defenders are crashing and keeps his movements smooth while working into extra space.
Kiner’s first cut after the handoff is great, and he drives through his lower half with a solid burst to hit early holes. He maintains his low leverage through contact and dives forward often to shoot for yardage gains. He re-centers himself quickly after contact and gets into his stride almost immediately. His lateral skills are impressive, with an awesome juke move to make defenders miss in space. He’s a feisty back overall who’s always working to make things happen.
Weaknesses/Cons:
Kiner’s ceiling is heavily capped because of his undersized frame and lack of high-end speed. He won’t fly past defenders and be a breakaway threat, and he doesn’t have the physicality to work well consistently between the tackles. His contact balance and lower-half power are subpar, rarely breaking off physical runs. Ball security is also a massive issue within his prospect profile. He has five career fumbles, and his hands are far smaller than just about every NFL running back.
Outside of his jukes, most of Kiner’s ball carrier moves are incomplete, rarely finishing them, and getting caught up by defenders. He takes too long to make a move in space at times and gets caught by smarter defenders who extend early. He tries to cut inside too often instead of hitting the edge, and he attempts to be too shifty for his own good, moving himself into tacklers often. His route tree is extremely underdeveloped as a receiver, and he’s almost a complete liability as a blocker.
Potential Team Fits:
NFL Projection:
Kiner’s tape is fun to watch as an exciting spark plug at the collegiate level, but his NFL ceiling is likely only that of a rotational depth back. He projects most closely to either an inside or outside zone rushing scheme as a supplemental offensive piece. If he can make his way onto an NFL roster, he could see decent time as an RB3 or RB4 with his elusiveness being a decent way for offenses to catch defenses off guard.
Prospect Grade:
- Early 7th Round
Film Exposures:
- 2024 vs. Pittsburgh
- 2024 vs. UCF
- 2024 vs. Kansas State
Main Photo: Kirby Lee – Imagn Images
