“Nobody expects the Spanish Inquisition!”
That refrain from Monty Python was the first thing that came to mind when the Detroit Lions selected Alabama running back Jahmyr Gibbs. Detroit threw a major curveball by taking Gibbs with the No. 12 overall pick after trading back from No. 6.
Lions GM Brad Holmes caught everyone by surprise, much like John Cleese and crew in the famous Monty Python skit. If anyone had the Lions taking Gibbs with their first pick in a published mock, I didn’t see it.
The fans were taken aback. Aghast, even. It’s a rough way to start off his Detroit career for Gibbs, an unassuming young man based off his public interviews. Once the fans get more familiar with Gibbs, I think they’ll find someone they are really going to like.
I love Jahmyr Gibbs as a prospect. Love him. He was my No. 14 overall player in the draft class, the No. 2 RB after Bijan Robinson. He was an electrifying talent at both Georgia Tech and then Alabama, where he averaged over 6 yards per carry, caught 44 passes and scored 10 total TDs for the Crimson Tide in 2023.
Gibbs is a home run hitter with breakaway speed and quick eyes to set up blocks. He’s a great receiver, too. Gibbs draws stylistic comparisons to the likes of Alvin Kamara, Austin Ekeler and even one-time Lions first-rounder, Jahvid Best. He’s the player the fantasy football pundits wanted D’Andre Swift to be more than twice a season.
Yet even after having said all that, it’s still a strange pick. Running backs are devalued in today’s NFL. The Lions still have (at least for now) Swift, and top free agent signee David Montgomery. They didn’t really “need” a running back, not in the public perception anyway.
Gibbs makes the Lions offense more exciting. More explosive. The fact he came earlier than expected is a hanging curveball. Don’t strike out while swinging out of your shoes at the unexpected pitch from Brad Holmes.
