El HuddleWill Selva and MJ Acosta-Ruiz are back for another episode of El Huddle!
This week we're joined by Troy Running back draft prospect Kimani Vidal! First, we take a look at Kimani's final season at Troy and what he's looking forward to most in his football career.
Next, Kimani shares what his experience was like attending a university the size of Troy's.
And finally, Kimani shares with us his favorite non football related hobby.
In Huddle is a production of the NFL in partnership with iHeartRadio.
You know, well, I'm gonna start calling this like the Walk of Fame for prospects before, like we had it first, they became our friends before they got to the NFL.
Blue Eggs up.
You're already possessive. You're already possessive of our name playing it.
You know, friends, we have to share him.
We have to we have to share him in the world the.
Teams, and that's it because we have right now running back from Troy who ran a four four six for you.
Know what this is like, It's ridiculous. I don't even understand that.
Welcome to the pod, Kimani Vidal, how are you doing yo?
Come on, honey, what up?
Hey? I'm doing great? How about you? Guys?
We're fantastic, but not very fantastic as you fantastic lead up too. That's gonna be our buzzword for today. How are you feeling now that the combine has been behind you? You're getting ready for draft. There's a lot going on these next couple of months for you. How are you balancing it all?
Really? Right now?
Just the days kind of feel a little slow compared to you know, just really training for the combine. Now I'm just really kind of like training on my own for football really, you know, kind of like why we're while I'm playing this, and why I did the whole combine and things like that.
But I'm kind of enjoying the time off.
Just really just really keying in on some interviews and you know, things like that.
Cabani, do you just like lie in your bed, have your hands classed behind your head, staring at the ceiling, thinking of the possibilities of where you may play, where you can go and make the most impact.
All the time. All the time.
It's like it's like, you know, there's thirty two different places I could go to I could be living in, and it's like it's just crazy to think about, like, you know, how much of a change it can be.
You know, just coming from Troy, Alabama, you know a lot of a.
Lot of there's a lot of different places I have never been to that I have been to, but I haven't lived there.
You know. It's just you know a lot of things.
Are about to change my life, and I'm excited for it, you know.
To have the wherewithal to already understand the grasp of it's not just your life changing in terms of your highest level, right, the highest level of the sport you've played, likely for most most of your life, but the entire backdrop of your life is changing too.
That's a lot.
That's a lot to sort of consider and way, and for someone as accomplished as you have been collegiately, right your choice first ap All American going back to two thousand, two thousand, that's a.
Long long time.
I mean, the first one to do it, Sunfelt Offensive Player of the Year. And I love that they put this the Dow trifecta. Okay, because Will it's the single season rushing leader, single game rushing leader, and career rushing leader. Okay, this is the thing, right start to happen, the Dow trifecta when you look back at all you accomplished in in your collegiate career and now it's a whole new level, a whole new step going to the NFL. What are you most excited for as you prepare for that possibility.
I'll probably say just I'm excited to go against better competition. I'm yeah, I'm really excited for that, you know, it's been in dream of mine since I was since I was like six years old.
And I'm just I'm really just excited. You know. It doesn't even feel real that it's like right there.
Yeah, well it's totally right there in your resume and your times at the combine make it very real for you.
Uh. I know.
A question that always pops up when it comes to you and your player profile is your hype? And I believe that you had said at one point in time, Yeah, there are some undersized running backs, some pretty good ones at that. How about Oh, I don't know, Barry Sanders. Is he somebody that you model your game after?
Oh, definitely, you know, he's I think he's the best running back ever, you know. And like you know what you were saying about the whole high thing, I don't. I don't think it's really even I think it's more so an advantage for me, because I've only heard it as an advantage, you know, maybe like when I when I'm talking to like some of the guys I've gone against, they really say, oh, it's harder to get lower because you know you're already lower to the ground.
Sure, you know, And and I like it, like it's easier.
To change change directions, and it's just I don't know, it just feels so natural to me.
Look like Austin Eclarin what they've been able to do in the league. And he's known as strongest dudes in the league regardless of his height in his position. He's he's definitely one of those who has sort of changed the perception of what quote unquote undersize. He's like, yeah, have you seen my workouts? Just throw it out there, sprinkle it in there. You know, you mentioned Troy, Troy, Alabama. What what is the closest like bigger city to Troy.
I guess you would say Montgomery or Montgomery.
Okay, so like a smaller town set, smaller school for sure. But do you feel like there's just things that you've gained going to a quote smaller school than you think you would have gone to one of the bigger programs.
I would say, like it kind of gets rid of all the distractions, Like it's just there's like none against Troy. I love Troy. I've loved being here. I'm here right now, as a matter of fact, I'm right now. Uh but there's nothing to do here.
Uh so.
Yeah, yeah, it kind of like.
And it's funny because like I didn't like it when I was a freshman or like a sophomore because I lived in Atlanta.
Oh my god, Okay, that's a big change.
Yeah, you changed.
And like I think as a freshman and like kind of and going into a sophomore year two, I kind of I was like, man, I don't like I want I want to say I like being I didn't like being here, but it was just it was more so a struggle. But like as I kind of grew up, I kind of enjoyed that too. I was like, like, it just allows you to just just like that. And it's funny because when I was a freshman, and I think a lot of people are like this too. But when I was a freshman, I was like, man, I'm going home every weekend everything like that.
Now it's like I can't get out of this place. I stay here.
Almost not being around people is a great thing.
And how old are you now? How older you know? Kamani twenty two.
The older you get, the more you will appreciate and enjoy. You already appreciate it, I can tell. But trust being by yourself in the house, it's a it's a great thing.
So come oni.
Now you're you're in this time where you're kind of waiting for potentially visits and interviews, et cetera. What is your guilty pleasure? What is something that you like to do that maybe people don't know that you like to do, whether it's you know, watching reality TV, watching a really good series, playing another sport or gaming. What what is something that you do that's that's a hobby that occupies your time that is not football.
I like to read love that hey.
Yeah, while I was here, I also started to journal a little bit too.
Yes, yeah, So what do you like to read?
Uh?
It's a wide variety, really, I guess you just say, like fantasy.
Right now I'm reading.
Are you reading that dragon thing? It's the Dragon book? Fourth Wing? No, what's it called? Wildly popular?
Oh? You know what? You know?
What you want to talk about?
Is that? Is that? What it is? I don't know. I don't know. I feel like I feel like I know I know what he's talking about, but I don't.
You know, how about Percy Jackson?
I mean.
Fourth Wing?
Okay, that's yeah, Okay, you've heard of it.
Yeah, I want to say my set also reads like Percy Jackson. So so are so those fantasy books like you you get into them, then, huh, Like what what appeals uh to you of those books?
I don't know. Oh, I really don't know. I think I just like good stories, like I like to watch movies too. I just like a good story. You know.
It's funny because I was talking to my mom the other day and I was like, looking back because I had to read the Odyssey while I was in school, and I was like, wow, I was like, looking back, it really was a good story.
It's kind of funny because I didn't like it at the time, but now I came to kind of enjoy it. I love that.
I love that because honestly, it's just you never hear that because now, again, we're at a day and age where you know, we're on our phones or we're doing those sorts of things, and I feel like reading is something that people don't do or they actually grab a book, they open it up and are thumbing through it and actually reading, and that's that's a cool thing. So obviously reading is an important thing. Is that something that you know your family stressed to you growing up?
Uh? No, not really, Actually, we're.
Going to start a book club. This is great.
Yeah, yeah, we gotta do it.
I wish more people would pick up a book. Are you a like you need the physical book?
You like to turn the pages.
I like the physical, like the yeah, the TecTile part of it. Is there a book that you want to read that you haven't yet?
I would?
I'm technically yes, yeah there is, but it's kind of I still have to read one to get to it because it's a it's a sequel. Yeah, it's the Way of Kings I'm trying to get to.
I forget what I've heard.
It's phenomenal, yes for sure.
Yes, yes, I can't remember what the second book is called.
But whatever the sequel is to that, m I really want to read that because I feel like it's setting up so well too.
Yeah, oh my god, this is fantastic. Look, this has gone in a direction we didn't know when. I love this for us, I pick up a book, pick up a book before, pick up a genre you've never read before, Explore things, use your imagination, put the screen down. See our our athletes are multifaceted. They have layers to them. So you must be my favorite thing.
Yeah, I mean Kamandi, but but also it's like coaches must love you because you it seems like like you you you take things, you grasp things, and you are are executing them.
Do you know what I mean? Like it's just like the playbook.
It's just it's just like that's that's I don't know, I just I'm just really impressed because I don't think we've.
Ever heard right j uh.
That yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, definitely, I think probably honestly, especially like the mm hmm yeah.
Right, he can go through the playbook easily. He's like, I just read eight hundred pages, like I'm good.
For me.
Is there a moment in your mind that you can almost visualize through the draft process as we get, you know, closer to that that after all of the all of the interviews are done, the pro days are done, you know, the visits hopefully are wrapped up, that you can say, Okay, now I'm ready to step into what is this next chapter not only of my career, but of my life. Is there something that you vision? Is that your name being called out? Is it that phone call? Is it your your family losing it when you finally new man?
I have no idea what that's gonna look like, yeah, whenever. I don't even think.
I think I would be more so into the call more than my name being called out.
Sure, I just I don't. I don't know.
I'm excited to see, like, you know how I feel and you know what's being.
Said, you know, because I know people will be like, oh what did he say? I'm be like.
Right in the moment, you know, yeah, someone's got to record something.
I gotta talk about that. Someone's got to record because.
I'll sign your job only for the weekend.
Yeah, yeah, that's your only job, you know. Listen, come on. He's like, we also talked to a bunch of athletes, doesn't matter. It's like Max Crosby.
I mean remember and.
We had him on and I mean he goes one thousand miles per hour, right, But every athlete that we've ever talked to always gets really you know, needs that extra motivation. They they read something a scouting report, you know, JJ wow would talk about it's like, oh wow, look what they said about me before and how you like me now?
Right?
Are you reading any of the scouting reports or early ones about you and saying, you know, I'm going to approve these people wrong big time when I get to the NFL.
Yep, there is at that's actually a part of what I journal about too. I write all that stuff down like I keep receiving all of it. So actually I started this like my junior year to beginning of my junior year, and h like, I was kind of like I feel like I needed more like fuel to the fire and just like just to because I feel like I played better when I'm angry or kind of set, and I would kind of like just write that down just to kind of like get me going a little bit.
But yeah, I was no I knew what everyone.
Was thinking when I was, uh, well what they were, you know, predicting me to run in the forty and I was.
I was definitely keen on that period.
What what do you like about journaling? How does how does that helped you as you navigate sort of the space and this next this next chapter.
I think it kind of like just keeps me grounded, Like it kind of like if I get too high or if I get you well, it kind of like just evens me out, just kind of just keep them in the level, keep myself level headed.
I like that for sure. I have journals all over the house. There's one so impressively right to my Like.
There's empty ones, there's full ones, Like I just have them if I have a thought in my mind, a creative idea, whatever, something I don't want to forget. Like I think people think journaling is just one thing, and I use it for a ton of different things.
And it sounds like like you do as well.
Yep. I use it for that.
I use it for like this in terms of like my body, like how how do I adapt to certain different things, or like if I eat something?
You know, things like that.
I love that.
Come Onie, just so incredibly impressed with you right now. It seems like you've got a good head on your shoulders. You know exactly what you want and how to get it. And the fact that you're you're journaling. I've never thought about doing that, but that's what a way to get your emotions out there. And it'd be great when you get drafted and you're bawling out in the NFL to look back at that stuff and say like, yeah, okay, how about it now, haters.
Oh yeah, definitely definitely.
Even just to see your growth. Com Onie, we are so excited for you. Please send us book Rex. When you're done with the book all that stuff, let us know. We'll jump in.
This is now the l Huddle Book Club, the first chapter of it. So this is great. Thank you for kicking it off for us. We really are excited just to see what's to come for you. We know that you will be fantastic.
Thank you so much, Thank you.
In Huddle is a production of the NFL in partnership with iHeartRadio. For more podcasts from iHeartRadio, visit the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.
