Colts May Have Drafted Overlooked Offensive Weapon

The Indianapolis Colts secured eight new names in the NFL draft this year, with Penn State's Tyler Warren being the most prominent and sought-after for the franchise. However, there's another offensive weapon who can potentially have a big impact: Kansas State's DJ Giddens.

The 33rd Team ranks Giddens as a 'draft steal' at number nine out of the nine available for the piece. Here's an excerpt from the article highlighted by Marcus Mosher.

"He’ll be given the chance to back up Taylor and could be a great spot starter when needed. The Colts stole a quality running back in the middle part of Day 3. Don't be surprised if he finds his way onto the field as a rookie and puts up quality numbers in Shane Steichen's offense."

Giddens was fantastic as a Wildcat, putting up better numbers yearly. Below are his most important metrics year-by-year:

2022 | 89 attempts - 518 rushing yards - eight catches - 98 receiving yards - six all-purpose TDs

2023 | 223 attempts - 1,226 rushing yards - 29 catches - 323 receiving yards - 13 all-purpose TDs

2024 | 205 attempts - 1,343 rushing yards - 21 catches - 258 receiving yards - eight all-purpose TDs

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Colts running back DJ Giddens (white jersey) looks for room to run after hauling in a catch. — Nov 30, 2024; Ames, Iowa, USA; Kansas State Wildcats running back DJ Giddens (31) runs for a first down against the Iowa State Cyclones in the second quarter at at Jack Trice Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Reese Strickland-Imagn Images | Reese Strickland-Imagn Images

In short, Giddens can make life easier on Jonathan Taylor in Steichen's backfield. Bleacher Report's Moe Moton also highlighted him in a recent article. Moton said, "Giddens can be an immediate contributor as a receiver. He caught 50 passes for 581 yards and four touchdowns over his last two years at Kansas State."

This was something the Colts' backfield lacked in 2024. While Taylor is one of the NFL's best running backs, he isn't much of a pass-catcher to help a QB like Anthony Richardson with quick, easy completions. The same goes for Khalil Herbert. While the jury is still out on Tyler Goodson, expect Giddens to supplant both backups to be the go-to behind Taylor in 2025.

Giddens has plenty of upside in a Steichen offense and can provide something different for defenses to worry about on game days. While it's far too soon to tell if he'll pan out, he has the skill set to make it happen and hit the ground running during his rookie campaign as a pro.

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