Final Eagles 7-round 2023 NFL mock draft: Philly adds day-one contributors

Jahmyr Gibbs is the Eagles’ selection at 30.

At first glance, it may not make much sense for Philadelphia to spend a first-round pick on a running back after letting Miles Sanders walk in free agency. After all, 2022 was a career year for the former Penn State star. Alabama’s Jahmyr Gibbs possesses tremendous upside as a rusher though, and with his addition, the Eagles would be able to reap the benefits of having a fifth-year option come with the 21-year-old.

Gibbs averaged 6.3 yards per carry and nine yards per reception in 2022. Both averages ranked among the top seven in both categories among running backs who have entered the 2023 Draft with more than 100 carries and 30 receptions.

Gibbs is an elusive and explosive rusher who has the potential to do damage every time he touches the football, and he’d likely emerge as the star in the Eagles’ backfield-by-committee as we move through the end of the 2023 season.

Following two seasons at Georgia Tech where Gibbs started all 19 of the games he appeared in, Gibbs had rushed for eight touchdowns and over 1,200 yards. He also collected over 750 yards as a receiver and scored an additional five touchdowns.

Gibbs found similar success in his lone season at Alabama following his decision to transfer to the Crimson Tide for the 2022 college football season. Over nine games, he earned seven rushing touchdowns and 926 rushing yards. He tacked on another 444 yards with three receiving touchdowns on 44 receptions.

At the Combine, Gibbs measured in at five-foot-nine, and he tipped the scales at 199 pounds. He may not be an elite blocking running back, but his explosiveness and ability as a runner and receiver make him worthy of a first-round pick. The Philadelphia Eagles would have a long-term solution at the running back position without using a top-ten draft choice, and they wouldn’t be breaking the bank.