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Much has been made about the Dallas Cowboys pursuing former Texas running back Bijan Robinson in the 2023 NFL draft, but the team could be eying another playmaker with the No. 26 pick. Multiple NFL insiders are suggesting Alabama standout runner Jahmyr Gibbs is in play for Dallas in the first round. Jonah Tuls, formerly of The Draft Network, noted that Gibbs will be “seriously considered if available” by the Cowboys at No. 26.
“Cowboys twitter will explode if they took Jahmyr Gibbs at 26 on Thursday night,” Tuls tweeted on April 23, 2023. “He will be seriously considered if available.”
Tuls is not alone as NFL Network’s Peter Schrager has Dallas taking Gibbs at No. 26 in his latest mock draft. Given Robinson is unlikely to be available when the Cowboys are on the clock, the league insider predicts Dallas will “scoop up the explosive Gibbs.”
“The Cowboys have an incredibly strong track record when it comes to recent first-round picks: WR CeeDee Lamb and LB Micah Parsons have both made the past two Pro Bowls, while OL Tyler Smith showed plenty of promise in Year 1,” Schrager detailed on April 18. “After the release of former No. 4 overall pick Ezekiel Elliott, Dallas has room for another back. With Bijan Robinson off the board, Jerry Jones and Co. scoop up the explosive Gibbs.”
NFL Draft Rumors: Some Teams Have Jahmyr Gibbs Ranked Above Bijan Robinson
There is a growing buzz that Robinson could be off the board sooner than some have projected despite the declining overall value of running backs in the NFL. Robinson is being connected as high as No. 8 to the Falcons (the Vegas favorite to land the running back) with Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer labeling the Lions as the likely floor for the former Texas star at No. 18. Schrager continues to believe that both Gibbs and Robinson will hear their names called in the first round.
There is plenty to like about Gibbs, both from his start at Georgia Tech to posting career-high numbers at Alabama. Gibbs notched 926 rushing yards and seven touchdowns while adding 444 receiving yards and 3 TDs through the air in 2022. NBC Sports’ Peter King reported that some teams have Gibbs ranked above Robinson and projected the Crimson Tide star to go to the Eagles at No. 30 in his mock draft.
“Might not be just the poor man’s Bijan Robinson,” King noted on April 24. “With 195 touches in his one year at Alabama, Gibbs averaged 6.1 yards per rush and 10.1 yards per catch, never fumbling. As good as Robinson was as a collegian, Gibbs has a few teams in this draft that liked him over Robinson for the NFL.”
Cowboys Rumors: Dallas Predicted to Target a Pass Rusher or Playmaker at No. 26
The Cowboys could wait until later in the draft to address the running back position. Breer reported that Dallas is targeting a pass rusher or possible playmaker at No. 26. The league insider also added that fans should keep an eye on interior offensive lineman as well.
“This is pretty straight-forward: the Cowboys could use an edge-rusher to pair with (and eventually replace) DeMarcus Lawrence, a counterpoint for the franchised Tony Pollard at tailback and a tight end to take Dalton Schultz’s place,” Breer wrote on April 24. “And given Dallas’s draft history, I wouldn’t rule out a top interior lineman, like Florida’s O’Cyrus Torrence or Wisconsin’s Joe Tippman, either.”
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