While running back Corey Kiner was not with the San Francisco 49ers for long, it seemed for a brief moment like he could be the team's next great undrafted running back.
There’s been a long lineage of overlooked backs like that who fit that bill. Whether it’s Matt Breida, Jordan Mason, or Jeff Wilson Jr., the 49ers have had a knack for finding guys who weren’t drafted and getting the most out of them.
Kiner signed with the 49ers after failing to garner a team's interest in the 2025 NFL Draft. He played his college football primarily at Cincinnati and had over 1,000 rushing yards in his final two seasons.
He’s a bit of a smaller back at 5-foot-9, which may have been part of why he went undrafted, but the Niners were willing to take a chance on him. He impressed in training camp, but unfortunately he hurt his ankle, and San Francisco let him go.
The Minnesota Vikings scooped him up on their practice squad only to have the Arizona Cardinals poach him. Kiner had just 12 carries for 58 yards with the Cardinals last season, but was then traded from Arizona to the New England Patriots in exchange for a seventh-round pick back in August.
He’s gotten some run with New England and has made the most of ig. He has 50 rushes for 244 yards and scored his first career NFL touchdown in garbage time last week against the Green Bay Packers.
Corey Kiner should get more opportunities going forward for Patriots
Kiner figures to get more playing time going forward, especially given the scary situation with running back TreVeyon Henderson, who is dealing with neurological issues that caused him to be hospitalized. Rhamondre Stevenson is also expected to miss a week or two.
The 24-year-old may prove that the Niners were smart to sign him after the draft, even if he never played a down for them. However, the fact that Kaelon Black has stepped up this season as Christian McCaffrey’s understudy Kiner's departure sting a bit less. Black has allowed the Niners to be smarter with McCaffrey’s usage, as he has rushed for 4.5 yards per carry.
Still, it’s nice to see Kiner getting an opportunity now, and he is proving to be yet another undrafted talent whom the Niners scoped out.
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