Kansas State Question of the Week: Should DJ Giddens be highest rated player in CFB25?

After over a decade of waiting, EA Sports is set to release the next edition of their college football series. A lot has changed for Kansas State since the last game. Some new uniforms, new sights around Bill Snyder Family Stadium, and, obviously, the roster. The first thing I will do when the game goes live is look at each K-State player’s rating. Running back DJ Giddens was rumored to have the highest rating on the team last week at Big 12 Media Days. Should he own that honor?

The argument for why Giddens should be the highest-rated player on the team is easy to make. He has two years of production under his belt now. Including 2023 in which he ran for over 1,200 yards and scored 13 total touchdowns.

Giddens was a top-20 rusher in the country last year in a league that isn’t short on talented running backs. 25% of the NCAA’s top rushers last season played in the Big 12.

Giddens proved to be a physical runner, but could also separate from defenses. He showcased a strong ability to support Kansas State in the passing game last season as well. The versatility and relentless nature of Giddens’ game are sure to boost his rating.

If one were to state a case against Giddens being the highest-rated player in the game, it would be based on projections and other intangibles currently. Marques Sigle might be the player with the best case on the defensive side of the ball, but his impact couldn’t match Giddens.

The only other viable option would be quarterback Avery Johnson. But the newly-minted Wildcat starter has only seen serious playing time in three games. It is easy to project that Johnson will be great for this season. That isn’t how these rankings are set when the game launches though (unless you are Arch Manning).

At the end of the day, DJ Giddens deserves to be the highest-rated Wildcat in the game. One of the country’s best running backs, who will get selected in the NFL Draft after this season. His competition is a roster full of guys who haven’t been able to see the field enough yet to prove themselves.