NFL insider reports Lions stole RB Jahmyr Gibbs in the first round
The wildest move of the 2023 NFL Draft so far has been the Detroit Lions selecting Jahmyr Gibbs. It's hard to think of another move that surprised as many people as that one for a team that had so much positive press heading into the night. Regardless, there is no sense harping on the value […]
The wildest move of the 2023 NFL Draft so far has been the Detroit Lions selecting Jahmyr Gibbs. It's hard to think of another move that surprised as many people as that one for a team that had so much positive press heading into the night.
Regardless, there is no sense harping on the value of the pick now that it is official. The hay is in the barn. Now is the time to evaluate the positives of the move, and based on news from one NFL insider, it looks like the crazy from the Lions could turn out to be genius.
Maybe the Lions weren't actually crazy. Maybe, just maybe, the decision to trade back to select a running back so early was a good move that upset plenty of other teams. Tom Pelissero explains:
"And the Lions were not, in any way, on an island in this," added Pelissero. "The more that I talked to coaches, especially early this week as the boards are getting settled, it became apparent [that] coaches maybe had a little bit higher opinion than maybe where the mock drafts or even some of the scouts were through that process. It's that explosive ability Jahmyr Gibbs brings to the table. I was told that there were some other teams completing trading into the teens to get him. So again, Jahmyr Gibbs kind of the No. 6 overall pick, which really would've blown some people's minds last night, still blew some minds at No 12 with the Lions very happy with that selection."
Okay, other teams also wanting Gibbs and ranking him highly in this report may not excuse the decision on its own, but it is impressive that other teams were as high as the Lions on Gibbs.
In a class that was very weak overall, perhaps a running back so early won't age as poorly as it does in other years, especially if the Lions and these other teams end up being right and Gibbs is as good as advertised.
Biggest reach to one of the bigger steals in the class? Seems crazy to say about a running back, but maybe that is just going to be what you have to expect in such a weird draft.
