Opposing front office executive makes strong statement about Lions' draft
The Detroit Lions have received a significant amount of criticism from draft analysts for their decision to select Alabama Crimson Tide running back Jahmyr Gibbs with the No. 12 overall selection in the 2023 NFL Draft. Several analysts have suggested that No. 12 was way too early to select a running back, a position that […]
The Detroit Lions have received a significant amount of criticism from draft analysts for their decision to select Alabama Crimson Tide running back Jahmyr Gibbs with the No. 12 overall selection in the 2023 NFL Draft.
Several analysts have suggested that No. 12 was way too early to select a running back, a position that has become devalued in the NFL over the last couple of decades.
The view from analysts who cover the NFL and the folks who actually work in the NFL is a bit different.
An anonymous NFC executive commented to ESPN NFL insider Jeremy Fowler this week about the Lions' decision to draft Gibbs. And that executive pointed out that when Gibbs lines up on Sundays, no one will care where he was drafted.
"They said the hell with value and just took good football players," said the NFC exec. "That guy [Gibbs] is a player. When they tee it up on Sunday, I don't think anyone will care where he was taken. And those players very much fit Dan Campbell's toughness approach."
Fowler pointed out that he spoke to several NFL executives who loved Detroit's draft and said it felt like a "2001 throwback".
Lions general manager Brad Holmes made it clear that Detroit views Gibbs as an offensive weapon, not a running back. If Gibbs can drive defenses crazy like Detroit is hoping, he'll be more than worth the No. 12 pick the Lions used on him.
