Browns draft prospect: Troy running back Kimani Vidal

Returning to our Cleveland Browns draft series, we look at Kimani Vidal, a 5’8, 215-pound running back who helped lead the Troy Trojans to two consecutive bowl appearances during his time with the team. Vidal, a three-star prospect from Marietta, Georgia, was considered the 100th-best player in Georgia and the 68th overall running back in the nation when he committed to Troy in 2019.

Vidal played nine games for Troy as a true freshman, running for 516 yards and four touchdowns on 101 attempts and receiving 26 catches for 225 yards. The Trojans ended 5-6 during the 2020 regular season, eliminating them from bowl eligibility. Vidal’s 2020 performance earned him All-Sun Belt Honorable Mention.
Vidal played 11 games in 2021, rushing for 701 yards and five touchdowns on 152 attempts while also receiving 22 catches for 134 yards. The Trojans concluded the 2021 regular season 5-7 and were once again eliminated from bowl eligibility. Vidal was chosen All-Sun Belt Honorable Mention for the second straight season.
He appeared in all 14 games in 2022, rushing for 1,132 yards and eleven touchdowns on 231 carries while receiving 26 catches for 140 yards. The Trojans ended the 2022 regular season 11-2, defeating the Coastal Carolina Chanticleers 45-36 in the Sun Belt Championship game, and were selected to play the UTSA Roadrunners in the Cure Bowl. Vidal rushed for 73 yards and one touchdown on 22 carries and caught two catches for seven yards in the Trojans’ 18-12 victory over UTSA. Vidal was chosen second-team All-Sun Belt for his performance this season.
In 2023, Vidal played in all 14 games, running for 1,661 yards and 14 touchdowns on 297 attempts and collecting 18 receptions for 201 yards and a touchdown. The Trojans ended the 2023 regular season 10-3, with a 49-23 triumph over Appalachian State in the Sun Balt Championship game.
Troy was chosen to compete against the Duke Blue Devils in the Birmingham Bowl. Vidal ran for 79 yards on 17 attempts and caught one pass for three yards in the Trojans’ 17-10 loss to the Blue Devils. Vidal was selected the 2023 Sun Belt Offensive Player of the Year, first-team All-Sun Belt, and third-team AP All-American. In 2023, Vidal became the Troy Trojans’ all-time rushing leader, with 4,010 career yards. In December, Vidal announced on social media that he will skip his final year of eligibility with the Trojans.