The Detroit Lions made arguably the most surprising selection in the 2023 NFL Draft by picking running back Jahmyr Gibbs 12th overall back in April. While the former Alabama star has a lot of potential, the expectation was for Gibbs to be a mid-to-late first-round pick, if not a Round 2 selection.
Yet, as they say, all it takes is one team to fall in love with a prospect. And, to their credit, it’s possible another franchise was eying Gibbs in the next few picks. But none of that matters now that he’s in the NFL with the Lions.
Now it’s up to Detroit to get the most out of their top pick. But the Lions are hitting the ground running, coming up with a large variety of ways to get Gibbs involved in their offense.
The 21-year-old is already receiving first-team running back reps, which shouldn’t come as a surprise for a recent first-round pick. But the Lions are also getting Gibbs some experience as a receiver, where he’s been seen split out wide, lined up in the slot, and motioning all over the field, and he couldn’t be more thrilled with his usage so far.
“I love how they’re using me. That’s something I’ve been used to throughout high school, when I was at (Georgia) Tech and when I was at ‘Bama, so I’m pretty used to being all around and learning different routes and different concepts and stuff, so it’s cool.”
Jahmyr Gibbs on his versatility
After catching 103 passes in his college career, it should come as no surprise for the Lions to utilize their newest weapon in a variety of ways. Seeing how much he can handle early on should only give the organization a better idea of how quickly their top draft choice can contribute this season. Based on the early returns, the Lions plan to give Gibbs as many touches as he can handle in his first NFL season.
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