Corey Kiner RB Cincinnati | NFL Draft Profile & Scouting Report
Corey Kiner RB Cincinnati
NFL Draft Profile & Scouting Report
| ROLE: Work-Horse Back | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Last Updated: 03/07/2025 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Draft Year: 2025 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 40 time: 4.57 seconds (47%*) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Age: 23.1 DOB: 01/21/2002 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bowl Invite: Shrine Bowl | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| ROLE: Work-Horse Back | |
| Last Updated: 03/07/2025 | |
| Draft Year: 2025 | |
| 40 time: 4.57 seconds (47%*) | |
| Age: 23.1 DOB: 01/21/2002 | |
| Bowl Invite: Shrine Bowl | |
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| Overall Rating: | 82.4 / 100 | |
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| Average rating of opposition Defense player has faced | ||
| Defense Rating: |
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75% |
| Click the links below to view how player ranks vs other prospects. | ||
| Rushing: |
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79% |
| Break Tackles: |
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75% |
| Receiving/Hands: |
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54% |
| Pass Blocking: |
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44% |
| Run Blocking: |
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49% |
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DRAFT PROJECTION:
6th
Overall Rank:
#175
Position rank:
#23
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| College Games: 44 College Snaps: 1383 | ||
ESPN RATING: 83/100
College Combine Results
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247 RATING: 90/100
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RIVALS RATING: 5.9 (97%)
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| Player Comparison* (Similarity level) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Jerome Ford - Cincinnati |
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81% |
| Cody Schrader - Missouri |
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71% |
| Sean Tucker - Syracuse |
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70% |
Draft Profile: Bio
Corey Kiner the 5'9", 209-pound bruiser etched his name in Ohio's high school record books at Roger Bacon, finishing with a staggering 7,130 rushing yards (10th all-time) and 116 rushing touchdowns (3rd all-time). His dominant senior campaign earned him the coveted Mr. Football award after bulldozing his way to 1,866 yards and 35 touchdowns while leading Roger Bacon to its first-ever regional championship.After a brief pit stop at LSU where he tallied 324 yards as a freshman, Kiner returned to his Cincinnati roots in 2022, a homecoming that would ultimately define his collegiate career. Initially serving as a rotational piece, Kiner seized the Bearcats' lead back role in 2023, becoming just the fifth player in program history to post consecutive 1,000-yard seasons. His final two campaigns were remarkably consistent, churning out 1,047 yards (5.5 YPC) in 2023 followed by 1,153 yards (5.7 YPC) in 2024, with an impressive dozen 100-yard performances over that span.
What the stat sheet doesn't capture is Kiner's relentless running style that made him a nightmare for would-be tacklers. His senior season showcased this ability at an elite level, as he forced 80 missed tackles (4th nationally) while demonstrating remarkable durability by starting 24 consecutive games. The Cincinnati native capped his collegiate career with three straight 100-yard games, finishing with 2,562 rushing yards at UC (8th in program history) and establishing himself as one of the most accomplished backs in Bearcats history.
Scouting Report: Strengths
- Exceptional contact balance that borders on uncanny – consistently bounces off initial hits and maintains forward momentum through traffic like a pinball in human form.
- Vision and processing speed jump off the tape, allowing him to identify cutback lanes before they develop and adjust his track without slowing down.
- Pad level is absolutely textbook – runs with natural bend in his knees that allows him to absorb contact and drive through arm tackles with remarkable consistency.
- Subtle footwork in tight quarters creates enough space to slip past defenders who appear to have clean shots, making him a bear to bring down in the hole.
- Carries a compact, dense frame that makes him deceptively powerful – delivers more pop than his size suggests when meeting linebackers in the gap.
- Runs with relentless forward lean and falls forward with remarkable consistency, turning 3-yard gains into 5-yard chunks by finishing every run with authority.
- Ball security is a major selling point – handled heavy workload with minimal fumbling issues throughout college career despite constant contact.
- Shows enough functional hands to be serviceable in the passing game, securing catches cleanly and transitioning upfield without wasted motion.
Scouting Report: Weaknesses
- Limited long speed (4.57 forty) caps his home run potential – will get caught from behind at the next level on runs that might have gone the distance in college.
- Lacks the sudden twitch and lateral explosion to consistently make defenders miss in space – relies more on power than elusiveness.
- Pass protection technique needs significant refinement despite willing attitude – too often leads with shoulder instead of establishing a proper base.
- Route tree is extremely basic with minimal experience creating separation as a receiver – primarily limited to check-downs and swing passes.
- Running style tends to be fairly linear with minimal creativity once he's committed to a track – doesn't show the hip flexibility to make rapid direction changes.
Scouting Report: Summary
Kiner has the makings of a reliable early-down runner in a committee backfield, where his tackle-breaking ability and consistent forward lean will convert short gains into medium chunks. The film shows a back who thrives in traffic, maintaining balance through contact that should translate well to the more physical NFL game. His vision and decisive cutting make him a natural fit in zone-based rushing attacks where he can plant his foot and get north without hesitation.Despite limited explosiveness, Kiner brings a lunchpail mentality to the position that will endear him to running back coaches looking for dependability over flash. He'll need significant development in the passing game to expand his role – his natural hands offer a foundation to build upon, but his route-running remains rudimentary. Protection technique requires overhaul, though his willingness to engage suggests coachability in this critical area.
The tape paints a picture of a hard-nosed runner who maximizes available yardage on every carry but lacks the dynamic traits to consistently create on his own when blocking breaks down. Kiner's exceptional durability through heavy college usage bodes well for his professional longevity, and his ball security will get him on the field early in his career.
Written By:
Andrew Moore (The American)
Corey Kiner percentiles vs other Running Backs (NFL Combine historically - higher value represents better perfomance)
How other scouting services rate Corey Kiner (Overall Rank)
All Scouts AverageOverall Rank
238.0
All Scouts AveragePosition Rank
30.0
*Percentile Ranking in Player's Position Group (NFL Combine Historical Data): This percentile reflects how a player's specific statistics rank
in comparison to historical performances at the NFL Combine, specifically within their position group. A higher percentile indicates a better performance.
For instance, being in the 90th percentile for a particular stat means the player outperformed 90% of their peers in that category.
*Similarity Percentage: This percentage is calculated based on a comprehensive analysis of various factors, including height, weight, 40-yard dash times, on-field performance statistics, and overall player rating. The analysis is conducted against our database of draft prospects from 2021 to 2023. This similarity score helps in evaluating how closely a current prospect aligns with past prospects. It is important to note, however, that this score reflects similarities based on college production and attributes, and does not account for eventual success or performance in the NFL.
*Similarity Percentage: This percentage is calculated based on a comprehensive analysis of various factors, including height, weight, 40-yard dash times, on-field performance statistics, and overall player rating. The analysis is conducted against our database of draft prospects from 2021 to 2023. This similarity score helps in evaluating how closely a current prospect aligns with past prospects. It is important to note, however, that this score reflects similarities based on college production and attributes, and does not account for eventual success or performance in the NFL.