Colts Draft Kansas State’s DJ Giddens: Esteemed Prospect Joins Indy’s Backfield

In the fifth round of the 2025 NFL Draft (pick No. 151), the Indianapolis Colts bolstered their running back room by selecting Kansas State standout DJ Giddens. General Manager Chris Ballard praised the pick in the team’s post-draft press conference, saying, “We think he’s pretty talented… I’m a big DJ fan. I think he’s got a chance to help us in a lot of different ways”​. The Colts view Giddens as a versatile, hard-nosed runner who can complement star tailback Jonathan Taylor and add depth to a backfield that will also feature veteran Khalil Herbert. Ballard even compared the decision to past drafts, likening Giddens to players like Marlon Mack and Aaron Jones – underscoring that Indy was looking for “flavor” and saw Giddens as a high-upside athlete with a well-rounded skill set​.

Giddens arrives in Indianapolis with an impressive college resume. A 6‑foot, 212-pound back, he burst onto the scene at Kansas State after arriving as a lightly-recruited high school player​. Over 39 games (25 starts) he piled up 3,087 career rushing yards (third all-time in K-State history) on 517 carries, with 23 rushing touchdowns​. He also proved to be a reliable receiver, catching 58 passes for 679 yards and four touchdowns as a Wildcat​. In both 2023 and 2024 Giddens topped the 1,000-yard mark on the ground (with 1,343 yards in 2024)​, earning Second-Team All–Big 12 honors in his senior year​. Remarkably, he averaged over 100 rushing yards per game as a starter – there was not a single game in 2024 where he fell below 50 yards on the ground​. His efficiency was off the charts: at one point in 2024 he ranked third in the FBS with 7.28 yards per carry (among backs with 80+ carries)​, on pace to break K-State’s school record in yards-per-rush. Scouts also noted his athleticism; he ran a 4.43-second 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine (7th-fastest among running backs)​, affirming that rare blend of power and speed.

In terms of running style, Giddens projects as a true three-down back with explosive upside. The chart above (Yards After Contact per Attempt vs. Yards per Attempt for qualifying college backs) illustrates just how special his profile is. Giddens sits squarely in the “Elite RB” quadrant, with roughly 6.5 yards per carry and about 4.2 yards after contact per attempt. In other words, he not only blows through initial line-of-scrimmage tackles but consistently gains extra yardage afterward – a skillset few backs maintain. This matches scouting reports praising his patience and burst. Kansas State coaches often lauded his vision and agility, and Colts coaches saw that too. Colts offensive coach Shane Steichen raved that Giddens has “vision [and] contact balance, the way he runs…he’s a 4.43 guy that can catch the ball out of the backfield,” adding “it’s a good get” for Indy​. Pro analysts agreed: Pro Football Focus noted Giddens is “a very physically gifted running back,” ranking in the 90th percentile in key athletic drills​. (They did note pass-blocking and catching consistency were areas for improvement, as he had a few drops in 2024​.) Overall, the combination of power, quick-change ability, and hands in the open field earned him comparisons to versatile NFL backs like Tampa Bay’s Rachaad White.

Giddens was part of an unusually deep 2025 running back class. High-profile backs like Ashton Jeanty, TreVeyon Henderson, Omarion Hampton and Kaleb Johnson all went earlier, but Giddens’ numbers and testing stack up well against those peers. In the Colts’ draft-day analysis, PFF noted Giddens was ranked #96 on their big board and awarded an “Above Average” grade to the pick​. PFF highlighted that Giddens posted a PFF rushing grade of 84.0 or higher in each of the last two seasons and excelled in both zone and gap running schemes (80.0+ grades in 2024)​. The takeaway: Indy expects him to be more than just a warm body – his college production puts him near the top of this draft’s backfield group. In our YCO vs. YPA chart, only a few backs (like Jeanty and Johnson) share Giddens’ combination of explosiveness and contact yards, underscoring that he operated at an elite level.

As for his role with the Colts, Giddens is expected to start as a complement to Jonathan Taylor, not an immediate starter. With Taylor entrenched and veteran Khalil Herbert added in free agency, Giddens will likely begin as a rotational change-of-pace back and special-teams contributor. Colts coaches hinted that Giddens’ ability to run between the tackles and catch passes could carve out third-down work, fitting a modern “scat-back” role. PFF’s post-draft writeup noted Giddens “will likely be a rotational player in his rookie season behind Taylor and Herbert,” giving him time to learn behind the veterans​ Ballard’s comment about Giddens helping “in a lot of different ways”​ suggests Indianapolis expects him to contribute on special teams and situational offense while he develops. The hope is that his upside can eventually translate into a true one-two punch with Taylor – a much-needed boost to an offense that saw its second-leading rusher (QB Anthony Richardson) have only 499 yards last season​.

In sum, DJ Giddens arrives in Indy as a highly productive college back with well-rounded skills. He finished college as one of K-State’s top all-time rushers​, with a resume that combines eye-popping efficiency and workhorse traits. Colts brass and draft analysts alike praised his blend of speed, patience and power​. While he may need to tighten up in areas like pass protection, the prevailing view is that Giddens has a legitimate chance to be a dynamic contributor. For Colts fans, the excitement will be seeing how quickly his “impressive” production can translate to the pro game, and whether he can grow into a dependable second running back alongside Jonathan Taylor.