Kansas State running back DJ Giddens ran for a career-high 1,343 yards in 2024. He averaged an explosive 6.6 yards per carry as the Wildcats’ biggest offensive threat. Giddens then went to the NFL Combine and ran a 4.43 at 212 pounds and leaped a second-best vertical jump (39.5 inches) among participating running backs.
Giddens recently spoke exclusively with The Draft Network. Giddens discussed his career at Kansas State, surprising scouts with his athleticism at the NFL Combine, running routes out of the backfield, which teams are showing interest in his services, and more.
JM: You enjoyed a career-best year in 2024 at Kansas State DJ, rushing for 1,343 yards while averaging 6.6 yards per carry. What changes did you make leading to your best season?
DJ Giddens: I really just stayed consistent. That came first and foremost. That was the main thing. I attack every drill with confidence. I’m always trying to master the basics like bag drills, running routes, and catching the ball. I stayed consistent.
One thing I did differently going into this past season, I did a better job making defenders miss in the open field. I’ve always done that at a high level, but I was doing it with more confidence. I worked on that during my own personal time away from the facility. It made a huge difference this past season.
JM: It translated to this year's NFL Combine as well. You ran a phenomenal 4.43 at 212 pounds. You finished second among all RBs in the vertical jump at 39.5 inches, and second in the broad jump as well at 10-foot-10. I imagine you were satisfied with the overall performance, correct?
DJ Giddens: Yeah, I was definitely satisfied. I put in a lot of pre-draft training work over these past few months. I started in January. I definitely have to thank all of my training coaches and everybody who helped maximize my performance throughout this process.
It paid off. Everything worked out beautifully.
JM: Do you think you surprised scouts with your athleticism, or were they expecting you to test as well as you did?
DJ Giddens: I was hearing a little bit of everything. I know some scouts expected me to run 4.50. I knew I was faster than that. I even heard 4.6, 4.7 from one scout. I thought that was crazy (laughs). I probably surprised a few scouts with my results. If they had me running a little slower, they probably had me jumping lower as well.
They probably didn’t think I was this athletic. I surprised a good amount of scouts.
JM: Did you have any formal interviews at the combine, and do you have any visits coming up?
DJ Giddens: I’m supposed to be going to Denver for a visit with the Broncos. I’m visiting the Steelers as well. I have a visit down there in Pittsburgh. I had a few formals at the NFL Combine as well. I spoke with the Steelers there as well, and also the Chargers and Jaguars.
JM: There’s a lot of interest in you and it’s easy to see why. How would you describe your traits and abilities as a running back? Do you prefer to be an athlete in space, or run between the tackles? What's your overall identity as a ball-carrier?
DJ Giddens: I want my identity to be that of an every-down back. I want to be capable of playing all four downs. Whatever you need me to do, run routes out of the backfield, aligning out wide in empty [formation], I want to do all of that. I want to run between the tackles and outside the tackles.
I want to prove that I can do everything you need a running back to do. My identity right now, I know I haven’t shown as much pass-catching upside as I’d like to. I haven’t shown my full capabilities as a receiving back.
A lot of people are probably pigeonholing me as a between-the-tackles runner. My goal is to be an every-down back.
JM: I also want to talk about your impact in the passing game. You've shown some upside there, but you were a little less involved as a pass catcher in 2024 than you were in 2023. Do you feel like you have untapped potential as a receiving back?
DJ Giddens: I do, yeah. First of all, I’m 100% confident in my hands and my overall abilities as a pass-catching back. I’ve never doubted my ability to catch the ball. That’s not a problem. I know I can catch the ball.
I feel like I’m a good route-runner as well. I’ve been around good wide receivers and running backs in college. They made me a better route runner. I’m a confident route runner. I need to showcase it a little more. That’s the main thing. I can run routes and catch the ball. I’m excited to display that.
JM: What was your favorite play to run in the playbook this past season at Kansas State? Something you heard in the huddle & got excited about.
DJ Giddens: There were a couple of plays that would get that reaction out of me. Duo was one of them. That’s for sure. I loved that double team. I had to make something happen as a playmaker. There’s not a lot that goes into those duo blocks. I have to press the line and read the double-team block. You have to be a playmaker in duo.
Outside zone was another one, inside zone. I love those plays, but duo was my favorite.
JM; It was fun to watch you execute duo this past season. We've appreciated your time today. What kinda impact is DJ Giddens going to make at the next level?
DJ Giddens: I’m going to deliver immediate production. Whatever I can do to produce, that’s the most important thing.
