Jahmyr Gibbs Was 'Shocked' to Be Selected by Lions 12th in 2023 NFL Draft

Fans and analysts weren't the only people surprised the Detroit Lions used the No. 12 pick in the 2023 NFL draft to select Alabama running back Jahmyr Gibbs.

Speaking to reporters after the first round on Thursday night, Gibbs admitted to being "shocked" he was taken at that spot.

"Yeah, I thought like in the 20s, because that's where it is usually for running backs," he added.

The Lions entered the first round with the sixth and 18th overall picks. They traded down to acquire the No. 12 pick in a deal with the Arizona Cardinals that also landed them the third pick in the second round (No. 34 overall).

Gibbs wound up being Detroit's top pick to the surprise of many. He was the second running back off the board after the Atlanta Falcons took Bijan Robinson at No. 8.

The Lions already have D'Andre Swift on the roster and signed David Montgomery to a three-year, $18 million contract in free agency.

As ESPN's Bill Barnwell pointed out, Lions running backs since Barry Sanders retired haven't been the most reliable group.

That could be an argument either for or against Gibbs. The argument for him is that Gibbs seems to have the type of all-around skill set that will make him a dynamic three-down player in the NFL.

The argument against him is the Lions have had some good offensive seasons, including in 2022, despite not having a dominant running back. There were also several players at premium positions on this roster they could have addressed at that spot.

As head coach Dan Campbell told Dan Miller of Fox Sports 2 (h/t Vito Chirco of SI.com) after the pick, the Lions' personnel department "fell in love" with Gibbs during the pre-draft process.

Sometimes it's as simple as that when trying to figure out a team's thought process in the draft.