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If Bijan Robinson feels like a luxury pick in the first round, then Jahmyr Gibbs feels like a steal in the second round. The Philadelphia Eagles might be best suited to bide their time and potentially trade down on April 27 to get the second-best running back in this year’s draft class.
Gibbs could split time with Rashaad Penny and Kenny Gainwell in the backfield. Or, in a very plausible scenario, the former Alabama standout wins the starting job outright in training camp and never looks back. The 5-foot-9, 199-pounder is kind of the perfect fit for Philly, especially if they can add extra draft chips in the process.
ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. predicted Gibbs to the Eagles at No. 37 in his latest mock draft after they pull off a surprising trade with Seattle. In it, Howie Roseman swaps his second first-round pick (No. 30) in exchange for two second-rounders (No. 37, No. 52).
It’s not an earth-shattering move but it makes sense and follows the script. The Eagles love accumulating draft capital and if they believe their top target – assuming Gibbs is that guy – will still be on the board, then “it just feels right.”
Kiper Jr. wrote: “Here’s the first selection from my projected trade at the end of Round 1, and it just feels right. Gibbs is a dynamic receiver out of the backfield — he caught 44 passes last season. He could split time with free agent signing Rashaad Penny and Kenneth Gainwell and be an easy outlet for quarterback Jalen Hurts. Plus, the Eagles have two more second-round picks to add talent.”
The Eagles go the more traditional route at pick No. 10 and take Peter Skoronski. He played left tackle at Northwestern, but they slide him in at right guard to replace Isaac Seumalo. The bait-and-switch leaves second-year center Cam Jurgens to mentor under Jason Kelce for another year.
Eagles Met Alabama Star at NFL Scouting Combine
Gibbs is clearly on the Eagles’ radar after he met with team representatives at the NFL Scouting Combine. The All-SEC selection revealed that he shot hoops with Nick Sirianni in what has become an annual rite of passage during pre-draft interviews. Gibbs added that he threw darts during his visit with the Dallas Cowboys, telling ESPN’s Brooke Poyer that “I beat who I was playing – and he usually plays a lot.”
Hoops and darts contests aside, Gibbs is a dual-threat playmaker out of the backfield. He rushed for 926 yards on 151 carries last season at Alabama while making 44 receptions for 444 yards. He racked up 10 total touchdowns in 12 games, plus he handled kick-return duties.
The best comparison for him? Alvin Kamara of the New Orleans Saints. NFL Media’s Lance Zierlein wrote the following in his scouting report:
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.
Derick Hall, Jartavious Martin in Round 2
If the Eagles and Seahawks do indeed make a deal, then the Eagles would own three picks in Round 2. The first one gets used on Jahmyr Gibbs at No. 37 as a drool-worthy offensive weapon to ease the loss of Miles Sanders. Later, they grab Auburn linebacker Derick Hall at No. 52 and Illinois safety Jartavious Martin at No. 62. Both players replenish positions of considerable need on defense.
Hall projects as an edge rusher in the NFL after racking up 16 sacks over the past two seasons. He can eventually take over for 35-year-old Brandon Graham.
Meanwhile, Martin is a speedy deep safety who can man the starting free safety spot vacated by C.J. Gardner-Johnson.
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