Jahmyr Gibbs Is a Better Fit in Philadelphia Than Bijan Robinson

The hype continues to build within Philadelphia sports talk that the Eagles may select Bijan Robinson on draft night with the 10^th pick. Bijan Robinson is considered by most draft analyst to be the best running back in this draft class. This undoubtedly could be true but there is a talented running back that won’t require the 10^th pick. The next best running back in this draft class is Jahmyr Gibbs from Alabama. There is speculation he could go late in the first round or early second round of this year’s draft.

Luckily for the Eagles they have both the 10^th and 30^th pick in the first round. Using the 10^th pick on a running back when your defense just lost almost half their starters isn’t a winning formula. The 10^th pick needs to be used on the defensive side of the ball. With four quarterbacks being projected to go within the top 10 picks, the Eagles are guaranteed to get a top six defensive talent at ten. Jahmyr Gibbs, who will most likely be there at the 30^th pick, is a much better fit for this Eagles offense.

The Argument For Bijan Robinson

Many people have hopped on the bandwagon to select Bijan Robinson with the 10^th pick. I can’t disagree that Bijan Robinson is an elite talent. There are multiple reasons people believe this is a good selection. Let’s start with the obvious, we just lost Miles Sanders and Bijan Robinson is the best running back in this class. The luxury of having the tenth pick after coming off a Super bowl loss allows you to make a move you wouldn’t typically make. He would add to an already elite offense.

The NFL is becoming an offensive league. We’re seeing less emphasis on defense and more on stacking your offense. For example, look at the Kansas City Chiefs. They have elite talent all over their offense and a few good talents on their defense to make plays. This is clearly a winning formula. Getting Bijan in the first round allows you to lock up a generational running back for five years. If you select a running back in the second round you only have them under contract for the first four years of their NFL career. Bijan Robinson is a great addition to any team, but his play style doesn’t match the Eagles offense.

Selecting Jahmyr Gibbs With the 30^th Pick Makes More Sense

The Eagles do need to acquire an every down running back. Having Kenneth Gainwell and Rashaad Penny as your running backs is a significant downgrade from Miles Sanders. The problem with Bijan Robinson is that he is a high volume running back. Last season at Texas, Bijan Robinson had over 20 attempts in 9 of their 12 game season. Last year for the Eagles, Miles Sanders only had 20+ carries in 3 of the 20 games they played. Bijan Robinson would be taking a gigantic step back in usage if he was a Philadelphia Eagle next season. The way the Eagles utilize their running backs significantly favors Jahmyr Gibbs.

Jalen Hurts has given the Eagles a superior RPO (run-pass option) offense. His ability to both run and throw accurate passes was a serious problem for defenses. Having a running back that excels in the passing game is critical to how effective the run-pass option is. Not only did Jahmyr Gibbs lead Alabama in rushing attempts last year, he led the team in receptions as well. Gibbs speed when catching the ball out of the back field is a nightmare for defenses. Having a running back that can do both run and catch would make this offense even more dynamic than last year.

The main reason the Eagles used a lot of “running back by committee” last season was due to Miles Sanders inability to be a reliable target out of the backfield. Last year there wasn’t a running back on the Eagles roster that was allusive in the running and passing game. Jahmyr Gibbs erases that issue. Gibbs is both quicker and better in the passing game than Bijan Robinson is. This offense needs a running back who doesn’t need 25 carries to be effective.

The Right Choice

There is a strong possibility Jahmyr Gibbs is there when the Eagles are on the clock with the 30^th pick. This allows them to use the same logic as taking Bijan Robinson with the 10^th pick. You have him under contract for the next five years. This offense is too good to select a running back that is going to demand a lot of touches. Giving Bijan Robinson more than 20 touches a game takes the ball out of our other stars hands.

Why change the schematics of an offense that just brought you to a Super Bowl? Using the 10^th pick on a defensive player that will fill one of the gaps left by our free agent departures is a much smarter choice.  The better running back selection is to take Jahmyr Gibbs with the 30^th pick.

Hopefully the news that the Eagles are happy with their current running backs is nothing more than a smoke screen. If they do chose to take a running back they need to select the player that solidifies their run-pass option game as the league’s best.

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