Dallas Cowboys Draft: Meet Jahmyr Gibbs, RB Alabama
I’ll get directly to the point. This quite possibly could be the best running back in the 2023 NFL draft after all the smoke settles. I’ll go a step further. Pound for pound, he may be one of the best talents in the entire draft and someone the Dallas Cowboys should be considering.
Jahmyr Gibbs is an absolute weapon who will be able to fit in just about any offensive system in the NFL. The third-year crimson tide runner has been spotted all over recent mock drafts, and hopefully this is a prospect that the Dallas Cowboys will target in the coming weeks.
Jahmyr Gibbs is a top RB in the upcoming 2023 NFL draft and he should definitely be a prospect the Dallas Cowboys focus in on.
The entire running back discussion hinges on a few factors:
- Will Ezekiel Elliott’s contract be restructured to a more cap friendly deal?
- Will Dallas place the franchise tag on Tony Pollard to retain his services next season?
- If both levers are pulled, it’s unlikely that they will place a premium pick on a running back.
However, if you allowed me to wear the general manager’s hat, I would at least be interested in investing in a running back that can impact the game both as a runner and a receiver.
This prospect has a plethora of traits that fit today’s game. The wiggle, explosion and ability to start and stop ability reminds me of Travis Etienne. Those soft hands and his fluid movement as a receiver is reminiscent of Alvin Kamara.
In a west coast offense or a variation of the west offense, the running back needs to be a part of the passing attack. Gibbs was comfortable being an outlet for Bryce Young for the last two years and he’ll do the same for Dak Prescott.
You are not going to mistake Jahmyr Gibbs for Derrick Henry. Gibbs is a 5’11” 200-pound player but one that is not afraid of contact and at his age, he’ll have time to put on some additional weight. Considering that not many running backs are asked to block in college football, that is going to be a skillset that will take a couple of years of refinement.
He shared the load as a runner in college which allowed him to manage the wear on his body. His stats were well balanced for three years. He’s averaged 711 yards rushing and 406 yards receiving. He was accustomed to visiting the endzone with 23 touchdowns in mostly shared duty in three seasons. For the Dallas Cowboys, I suspect he’ll carry the same type of role.
Projected Draft Spot: He’s been invited to the NFL combine so measurements, forty time and position drills will get attention, but we shouldn’t learn too much that we don’t already know about this prospect. As it stands, Jahmyr Gibbs ranges from a late first round to a third-round pick in many opinions.
If the Dallas Cowboys want him, they may have to consider the second-round pick for him. If he slips to them in the third round, they shouldn’t hesitate to pull the trigger.
NFL Comparison: Travis Etienne meets Alvin Kamara.