Kimani Vidal, RB, Troy
Size:
Height: 5’8”
Weight: 213 pounds
Arm Length: 30 3/8"
Hand Size: 9 3/8"
Accomplishments:
Troy’s all-time career rushing leader
“Kimani Vidal is a skilled running back who should be able to carve out significant snaps throughout his career as part of a committee.”
Strengths:
Vision/IQ
Lateral agility
Functional Strength/contact balance
Scheme-versatile runner
Concerns:
Bounces runs outside
Elite speed
Film Analysis:
Kimani Vidal enters the 2024 NFL Draft as Troy University's all-time leading rusher who also set the single-game rushing record for Troy football, producing the numbers to back up what is a highly skilled running back prospect. Vidal runs with good vision and tempo, showcases lateral agility to make defenders miss, and has a physical temperament to finish runs.
From the snap, Vidal does a good job scanning front side to back side to find any creases and accelerates through them. Vidal is a runner who keeps backside defenders honest because he consistently looks for the backside cut-back lanes for openings and can convert them into big plays. Working to the second level of a defense, Vidal has multiple ways to win, he can use his elusiveness and footwork to make defenders miss, or he can use his strength and contact balance to run through arm tackles. On multiple occasions, it has taken multiple defenders to take Vidal down as he runs through arm tackles and keeps his feet moving to finish runs. In the open field, Vidal is a quick accelerator and could convert a play that appears to be a 15-yard run into a 40-yard run. Vidal could be profiled as a back who finishes runs as he will lower his pads or throw a strong stiff arm to get every yard out of a play.
Vidal’s contribution in the passing game is a back who can be depended upon to catch passes out of the backfield. In this offense, Vidal runs routes from the RB position and has shown the ability to consistently secure passes.
The areas of question in Vidal's game would be his top-end speed. While Vidal is a good open-field accelerator it appears that speed tops out and defenders can catch up to him and make the tackle. Vidal also appears to want to bounce inside designed runs to the outside too much. There are many instances on film where Vidal can run in between the tackles and pick up immediate positive yardage, but he chooses to bounce the run outside. While this may work on the collegiate level, this may be difficult to do so in the NFL.
Prospect Projection: Day 3 — Developmental Traits
Written By: Keith Sanchez
Exposures: Kansas State (2023), Western Kentucky (2023), Southern Miss (2023), Duke (2023)
