The 2023 NFL Draft will give all 32 franchises the opportunity to reshape their roster and pursue a Super Bowl 58 berth. Regardless of where a team picks, each selection has the ability to transform a team’s outlook. This class looks especially deep with running backs.
This is a good thing for teams and can be a negative for players. With depth available into Day 3, we’ll see some big names going a little lower than their talent indicates they should. One of those players could be Alabama running back Jahmyr Gibbs.
We’ll break down Gibbs’ best landing spots and where recent mock drafts have had him going. As one of the best playmakers in the class, don’t expect Gibbs to have to wait too long to hear his name called.
Jahmyr Gibbs Landing Spots
After starting his career at Georgia Tech and separating himself as a special three-down player, Gibbs transferred to Alabama for his junior season. He responded as expected, finishing the 2022 season with 1,370 yards and 10 touchdowns as a rusher and receiver. For as impressive as the numbers were, watching Gibbs was even more special.
PFN Draft Analyst Ian Cummings lauded Gibbs for his “phenomenal, effortless short-area athleticism, which he can use to tug defenders off-balance.” His jittery nature is complemented by an unusually good contact balance for someone who is listed at only 200 pounds. His ability to take hits and continue working upfield through tackles bodes extremely well for his NFL outlook.
MORE: 2023 RB Draft Class
There aren’t many playmakers at running back who win the way he does. Gibbs compares extremely well to New Orleans Saints star Alvin Kamara, who is also not overly big but offers elite receiving impact and stays upright despite contact. It’s an uncanny takeaway when watching Gibbs.
Talent-wise, I’d argue Gibbs will be impactful enough to go in the middle of the first round where Washington, Detroit, and Tampa Bay don’t have true star RB1s on their roster. However, the positional importance matters. It’s more likely we see the Bills, Saints, and Eagles consider him at the end of the first round.
I don’t think Buffalo continues to throw assets into the position after drafting James Cook in the second round last year. But the Saints and Eagles make much more sense. Gibbs, being so similar to Kamara, is a naturally easy projection.
Gibbs Could Be Alvin Kamara’s Successor
Kamara’s future in New Orleans looks questionable, considering he’s facing battery charges and will likely face an NFL suspension regardless of the case’s outcome. A video surfaced of the incident, and the NFL has punished the handful of skirmishes more severely where there’s video evidence.
With the Saints able to save almost $10 million of his $16 million cap hit in 2023 with a June 1 designation and the team being $30 million over the cap limit, Gibbs can be a cheaper alternative without losing much impact.
Eagles Needs True RB1
The Eagles have a different reason to look at Gibbs. Starter Miles Sanders is a free agent, and it makes little sense for the franchise to dedicate significant money to a position that benefits from an elite offensive line and running quarterback in Jalen Hurts. Spending a first-rounder on a back is a cost-controlled way to maximize their returns from the position as they fight to win a Super Bowl.
Gibbs Would Create a Deadly Duo With Kyler Murray
If Gibbs falls out of the first round, then the Arizona Cardinals have to smile. New head coach Jonathan Gannon just saw what an effective running game can do in Philadelphia, and the Cardinals lack a stud in the backfield who can help take pressure off quarterback Kyler Murray. Gibbs and Murray would create maybe the most electric duo in the NFL.
Jahmyr Gibbs Mock Draft Rankings
The running back position has undoubtedly been devalued over the last decade. Though Gibbs ranks as PFN’s No. 16 player on the consensus big board, his mock draft placement begins late in the first round. ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. described this factor despite being a fan of Gibbs’ talent:
“I think the first round is pushing it just a bit. Todd, you talk to these teams — every time I bring up a running back, no, they have been devalued, in terms of the first round. There’s no question about that. Started that ball rolling 20 years ago, and it’s already going, just about with everybody. Bijan Robinson does go, I think, first round. Jahmyr Gibbs, I think, would be — almost put him in, but I just couldn’t find a team.”
The same sentiment rings true across recent PFN mock drafts. Gibbs’ earliest landing spot has been No. 34 to the Cardinals despite Gibbs having some great fits at the end of the first round. The Panthers, Commanders, and Dolphins select shortly after the Cardinals in the second round, so I doubt Gibbs would last too much longer in this range.
