When Detroit Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs was a guest on “The Richard Sherman Podcast” Thursday, he explained his thoughts on how he thought the 2023 NFL Draft was going to go, and Dallas Cowboys fans will be in tears when they hear what Gibbs had to say about where he expected to be drafted.
“I knew for a fact Dallas was going to get me at 26 if I was still there,” said Gibbs when reminiscing over the 2023 NFL Draft process.
The Lions had NFL analysts scratching their heads when they drafted Gibbs with the No. 12 pick in 2023, however, not many are scoffing at the decision anymore. In fact, 31 other teams likely wish they would’ve had the chance to draft Gibbs at No. 12 if they knew what he’d turn into for the Lions.
There’s a belief that running backs aren’t worth the value of a high first-round pick, but considering the splash Gibbs has made in his first season and a half, some NFL general managers are kicking themselves for not doing what the Lions did.
And the Cowboys are one of those teams.
The Cowboys could really use a Jahmyr Gibbs in their offense
Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs runs against the Cowboys during the second half of the Lions' 20-19 loss at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas on Saturday, Dec. 30, 2023. © Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK
When dissecting what’s gone wrong for the Cowboys this season, there are plenty of things to look at.
One of which, is how the Cowboys went about replacing Tony Pollard after he left the team in free agency to join Tennessee. Instead of truly attacking the vacancy last offseason, they seemed to have thrown their hands into the air and accepted their fate.
According to Gibbs in his interview with Sherman, there was a very high chance that he was going to be drafted by the Cowboys if he made it to pick No. 26.
Unfortunately for the Cowboys, that never ended up happening.
Coming into the 2023 NFL Draft, Gibbs had three seasons under his belt in college. He played his first two seasons at Georgia Tech but decided to transfer to Alabama the next year. Gibbs exploded with the Crimson Tide, accumulating 1,370 all-purpose yards and 10 total touchdowns. He was a true dual-threat back coming into the league, as his receiving skills were nearly as impressive as his rushing abilities.
And considering how poor the Cowboys’ rushing game is, knowing Gibbs thought he’d be playing for Dallas is a massive blow to this passionate fan base.
Through nine games this season, the Cowboys are second-worst in the NFL, averaging just 83.7 yards per game. Instead of being aggressive and drafting Gibbs to spearhead their rushing attack, the Cowboys decided to select defensive lineman Mazi Smith who’s been underwhelming to start his NFL career.
Per PFF, Smith ranks dead last among 120 defensive linemen with a 30.3 PFF defensive grade.
So, instead of selecting Gibbs— who is one of the top running backs in the league— the Cowboys are stuck with a poorly rated defensive lineman. In fairness to the Cowboys, Gibbs was selected way earlier than many expected, making it an unrealistic hypothetical to get upset over.
