2023 NFL Draft Profile: Alabama Running Back Jahmyr Gibbs

BamaCentral is taking a long look at each of the Crimson Tide's 15 football prospects who could hear their names called during the 2023 NFL Draft in Kansas City on April 27-29.

Author:
Christopher Walsh
Publish date:
Apr 5, 2023 5:00 PM EDT

In this story:

Alabama Crimson Tide

If it was a business decision, it turned out to be a pretty good one.

Although as a recruit, running back Jahmyr Gibbs decided to stay close to home and initially went to Georgia Tech, he transferred last season in hopes of being on a national contender with Alabama football.

The move appeared to help his draft stock as well, as he's drawn some comparisons to Alvin Kamara, the one-time Crimson Tide running back who ended up being a third-round draft pick out of Tennessee.

Gibbs is thought to be on the bubble to be a first-round selection, despite playing a position in which a lot of NFL teams are at least hesitant to use a high draft pick.

Last season, Gibbs' versatility was on full display as he had 151 carries for 926 rushing yards and seven touchdowns, to go with 44 receptions for 444 yards and three more scores, and returned kicks. He was named second-team All-SEC and third-team Associated Press All-American as an all-purpose player.

When announcing he was turning pro, Gibbs said: "First of all, I’d like to thank my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ," Gibbs said in his announcement. "Without him, none of this would be possible. I would like to thank my family— my grandma, my aunt, my uncle. I want to thank Coach Saban, Coach Gillespie, Bryce and Will for accepting me since I’ve been here. It felt like I’ve been here for three years. They welcomed me with open arms. It’s been one of the best years of my life, and I’m very appreciative of that. With that being said, I’ll be declaring for the 2023 NFL Draft."

Alabama Running Back Jahmyr Gibbs

NFL Combine/Workout Details

Alabama Crimson Tide running back Jahmyr Gibbs (1) runs the ball against the Kansas State Wildcats during the second half in the 2022 Sugar Bowl at Caesars Superdome. — Andrew Wevers-USA TODAY Sports

No. 13
Position: Running back
Height: 5091
Weight: 199
Hand: 0928
Arm: 3048
Wing: 7418
40: 4.36
DOB: 3/20/2002
Hometown: Dalton, Ga.
High School: Dalton

40-Yard Dash: 4.36 seconds
10-Yard Split: 1.52 seconds
Vertical Jump: 33.5’’

What's Being Said About Jahmyr Gibbs

Lance Zierlein, NFL.com: While Gibbs might not be the engine of an NFL running game, he’s more than capable of adding juice to the offense. He’s a slasher who can stretch defenses wide, and he has the wiggle to elude tacklers in space. However, he could see his effectiveness diminished inside. Gibbs might be better off with a more measured carry count as an RB2, but his versatility and pass-catching prowess will give creative play-callers an opportunity to exploit certain personnel groupings and find mismatches in space.

NFL Draft Bible: Fluid body with ample mass for the position. Occupies athleticism scarcely seen. Plus ability in quickness, balance, acceleration, agility, and speed. Seldom if ever taken down by the first defender. Plays chess with tacklers, leaving them guessing his skill move. Impossible to take down in the open field thanks to his athletic prowess and functional strength. Flexibility analogous to Gumby, with buttery ankles and hips. Competitive demeanor not to be questioned, fighting for yards in a scrap. More than a shifty guy, with deceptive power and a ruthless stiff arm. Elite lower body strength when taken pound for pound. Contact balance and feet are not to be trifled with. Not just a wide zone runner with between-the-tackles capability. Adept in both gap and zone schemes. Comfortable vision, hitting cutbacks with enthusiasm by way of exceptional acceleration. Can and will hit a second gear in the open field. Sophisticated in the passing game, running a plethora of routes. Soft hands with a smooth stride out of the catch point.

Primary concerns are pass protection and usage. Limited reps in pass pro at Georgia Tech, with obvious flaws when tasked. Was the focal point of the offense his freshman and sophomore year, handling the ball second-most to only the quarterback. Gibbs is one of the more well-rounded players in college, with acumen and skillset affluent in terms of capability. If he can prove his durability and clean up his pass pro.

Michael Fabiano, SI: Gibbs isn’t the biggest back at 5’11” and 200 pounds, but he’s versatile (44 catches in 2022) and an explosive runner. In fact, NFL Hall of Famer LaDainian Tomlinson has compared him to Chris Johnson. While he might not become a three-down NFL back, Gibbs could emerge as a PPR machine if he lands with the right team. He’d be a nice fit with the Eagles or Miami Dolphins.

BamaCentral Analysis

Jahmyr Gibbs scores against Vanderbilt — Alabama Athletics

The first thing that teams have to figure out regarding Gibbs is whether or not they consider him to be an every-down running back, or more of a complementary weapon. If they decide the latter, many of the teams that would be most likely to take him are picking near the end of the first round. That's partly why you see you'll see him anywhere from late first round to late second round in mock drafts. what may be the best situation for Gibbs is if he was selected to be a third-down specialist with a chance to grow into a starting role. Either way, he should hear his name called either Day 1 or 2 of the draft, especially after running the 40 in 4.36 seconds at the NFL combine.

Projection: Second round.