Who is Jahmyr Gibbs? What to know about Alabama RB looking to earn first-round NFL draft selection
With each passing year, the NFL places less and less emphasis on what used to be the driving force of the offense: running backs.
In fact, backs can’t win a first-round pick in the NFL Draft — and the contract that comes with it — just by using their rushing skills. These players must be versatile and show at least explosiveness, speed, pass catching and blocking ability.
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Luckily for Jahmyr Gibbs, he displayed those traits throughout his collegiate career, first at Georgia Tech and then at Alabama, where he played in 2022. The Dalton, Georgia product left Tuscaloosa for the draft due to a strong junior season. Now he will try to show that he should be one of the top 31 picks in April.
It doesn’t hurt the NFL to have running backs from Alabama. The league’s top two rushers of 2022 call the university their alma mater: Josh Jacobs and Derrick Henry. Another former Crimson Tide Back, Najee Harris, ran for 1,034 yards last season. Gibbs wants to be next.
Gibbs can no longer produce game tape, but it still remains the 2023 NFL Combine, where he can impress scouts and executives in position drills, interviews and, perhaps most importantly, the 40-yard dash. If he has a productive visit to Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, he could swing higher in the draft.
The Sporting News has everything you need to know about Gibbs including where he’s being mocked in the 2023 NFL Draft, his height and weight, estimated 40th year of existence, college stats and more:
Jahmyr Gibbs NFL Mock Draft 2023 Projection
Gibbs is listed 31st overall by The Sporting News in the latest 2023 NFL Mock Draft by The Sporting News and is rated highly in Vinnie Iyer’s latest Top 125 Big Board. Gibbs is ranked 20th overall and is the No. 2 running back, behind only Bijan Robinson of Texas.
Iyer describes Gibbs as a multifaceted player with the tools to succeed at the next level. “Gibbs is a groundbreaking runner with the requisite elements of pure speed, quickness and explosiveness. He also reads his pads well with good vision,” Iyer writes.
Jahmyr Gibbs height, weight
Gibbs is listed at 5-11 and 200 pounds according to his Alabama and Georgia Tech bios. That compares well with two NFL stars: 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey (5-11, 205) and Saints running back Alvin Kamara (5-10, 215).
Though Gibbs isn’t the pure runner that McCaffrey and Kamara are, he uses his pass-catching ability, speed and dodge ability to widen the field and give offensive players more opportunities to use him.
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Jahmyr Gibbs 40 times
Gibbs did not run the 40-yard streak before transferring to Alabama from Georgia Tech. But if he can repeat his previous time when he runs in Indianapolis on Sunday, he’ll likely see a significant boost in his draft inventory.
According to The Tuscaloosa News, Gibbs said his final 40-yard dash was clocked at 4.32 seconds and hopes he “can get even faster.” If Gibbs matches that time at the combine, he would be the fourth fastest player in his position.
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In comparison, McCaffrey and Kamara were measured at 4.48 and 4.56 seconds, respectively, in the same exercise. Here’s Gibbs’ pace of play as he rushed for touchdowns of 72 and 76 yards against Arkansas:
MORE: Full list of NFL combine records, from 40 reps to bench press reps
Statistics by Jahmyr Gibbs
Though Gibbs doesn’t have great individual collegiate stats (he’s never surpassed 1,000 rushing yards or 500 receiving yards in a single season), he’s consistently demonstrated his game-changing skills. His career 5.6 yards per carry and 11.7 yards per reception show that.
What will also help Gibbs stand out is his versatility, particularly in passing. He caught a career and team-best 44 passes from likely top-three pick Bryce Young in 2022.
Rush
| Year | Att | Yds | avg | TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 89 | 460 | 5.2 | 4 |
| 2021 | 143 | 746 | 5.2 | 4 |
| 2022 | 151 | 926 | 6.1 | 7 |
| In total | 383 | 2.132 | 5.6 | 15 |
Reception
| Year | Rec | Yds | avg | TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 24 | 303 | 12.6 | 3 |
| 2021 | 36 | 470 | 13.1 | 2 |
| 2022 | 44 | 444 | 10.1 | 3 |
| In total | 104 | 1.217 | 11.7 | 8th |
Step back
| Year | pension | Yds | avg | TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 8th | 205 | 25.6 | 0 |
| 2021 | 23 | 589 | 25.6 | 1 |
| 2022 | 13 | 258 | 19.8 | 0 |
| In total | 44 | 1,052 | 23.9 | 1 |
all purpose yards
| Year | touches | Yds | avg | TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 121 | 968 | 8.0 | 7 |
| 2021 | 202 | 1,805 | 8.9 | 7 |
| 2022 | 208 | 1,628 | 7.8 | 10 |
| In total | 531 | 4.401 | 8.3 | 24 |