Former Alabama running back Jahmyr Gibbs has not received anywhere near the same hype as Bijan Robinson leading up to the 2023 NFL Draft.
Robinson is seen as a generational talent and could hear his name called within the top-10 picks. For most of the pre-draft process, Gibbs has been viewed as a Day 2 selection. But with the draft quickly approaching, the electric young back is now getting first-round play.
ESPN’s Todd McShay indicated recently that Gibbs continues to receive attention from evaluators on NFL teams as a potential first rounder. Peter King of NBC Sports also reported that some teams believe Gibbs will be a more productive NFL running back than Robinson.
While we should take that latter report with a grain of salt, information like this so late in the pre-draft process is rather interesting.
Removing Robinson from the conversation and looking at Gibbs in a vacuum, there is a whole heck of a lot to like. He ran a blazing 4.36 40-yard dash at the NFL Scouting Combine and is seen as someone who can take it the distance on any given play. He’s also proven to be a dual threat out of the backfield, something that teams value in the modern NFL.
- Jahmyr Gibbs college stats: 383 attempts, 2,132 yards, 5.6 average, 103 receptions, 1,212 receiving yards, 3,344 total yards, 23 TD
In his only season with the Crimson Tide after transferring from Georgia Tech, Gibbs put up 1,370 total yards at a clip of 7.0 yards per touch. This is obviously part of the evaluation process given that he went up against elite-level SEC competition.
Assuming Robinson finds himself as a top-20 pick, other teams selecting late in the first round will be linked to Gibbs. Here is a look at three ideal landing spots.
Related: Bijan Robinson and the devaluation of running backs in today’s NFL
Los Angeles Chargers
Current Chargers RB1 Austin Ekeler is currently unhappy about his contract and has requested a trade from the team. While Ekeler has been a dynamic dual threat for Los Angeles over the years, his lack of consistency has to be seen as concerning. Last season saw him tally less than 40 rushing yards in more than half of Los Angeles’ games.
The Chargers will soon invest a huge long-term contract on franchise quarterback Justin Herbert. Giving him everything possible to succeed moving forward makes sense. And while they have been linked more to wide receivers at 21, Jahmyr Gibbs might make the most sense.
Dallas Cowboys
Dallas is yet another team that has been linked to Bijan Robinson. It’s interesting to look at given that the Cowboys released longtime running back Ezekiel Elliott while placing the franchise tag on Tony Pollard ($10.09 million for 2023). One would think that the Cowboys have other needs as they look to become legitimate Super Bowl contenders next season.
With that said, owner Jerry Jones has often made the bold selection. The idea at 26 would be for Dallas to pick up Gibbs while having him work in tandem with Pollard next season. Gibbs would then take over as a cheaper option with Pollard leaving in free agency next March.
Related: Jahmyr Gibbs scouting report and NFL Draft profile
Buffalo Bills
Buffalo has reportedly been extremely active in trade-up discussions from the 27th pick in the NFL Draft. The target here is said to be Robinson. Whether something comes to fruition on this end remains to be seen.
What we do know is that the Bills have a major need in the backfield behind Josh Allen. His struggles late last season coupled with an ineffective running game has led to questions about the Bills’ status as a conference title contender.
The division-rival New York Jets acquiring Aaron Rodgers in a blockbuster trade ahead of the 2023 NFL Draft adds another layer to this. Buffalo simply might be able to stand pat at 27 and add a Day 1 starter in Jahmyr Gibbs.
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