Maurice Jones-Drew: Jahmyr Gibbs Tops Bijan Robinson as No. 1 RB in 2023 NFL Draft

Most NFL draft pundits regard Bijan Robinson as possibly the best offensive player in this draft regardless of position, but at least one person is going against the grain with his rankings.

Former running back and current NFL.com analyst Maurice Jones-Drew has Alabama's Jahmyr Gibbs as the top-ranked player at the position in this year's draft class:

"Many view Texas' Bijan Robinson as the top running back in this class, but Gibbs is my choice. The Alabama product is a three-down back with a lot of upside. With his play often compared to New Orleans' Alvin Kamara, Gibbs is all about speed—evidenced by his 4.36-second 40-yard dash at the NFL Scouting Combine—but also possesses great start/stop quickness and is extremely elusive in the open field. As a receiver, Gibbs is a mismatch with soft hands and solid route-running ability. He's the type of player who can fit into any system and make any NFL offense better."

Per a consensus big board of 40 different rankings from analysts around the NFL compiled by Arif Hasan of Pro Football Network, Robinson is considered the fifth-best player overall in the 2023 draft class.

Gibbs is the second-ranked running back and No. 24 overall prospect.

Using the big board from B/R's NFL scouting department, the Texas standout ranks as the fourth-best overall prospect behind Alabama edge Will Anderson Jr., Georgia defensive tackle Jalen Carter and Clemson edge Myles Murphy.

Gibbs checks in at No. 29 overall, per B/R's scouting department.

It's probably not a surprise that Jones-Drew would favor a running back he believes can be just as effective in the passing game as he is on the ground. The nine-year NFL veteran caught 346 passes in 126 games, including six years with at least 40 receptions.

Gibbs was more productive as a receiver in college than Robinson. He had 103 catches for 1,212 yards in 31 games between Georgia Tech and Alabama. Robinson caught 60 passes, but he averaged 13.4 yards per catch.

It seems unlikely Gibbs will end up being drafted ahead of Robinson, but you can never predict how teams are going to scout players at the same position.