Jahmyr Gibbs Compared to Marshall Faulk, Christian McCaffrey by Lions GM Brad Holmes

Detroit Lions rookie running back Jahmyr Gibbs is poised to have a major role in the team's offense in his first year, and his skills have drawn comparisons to two of the most versatile rushers the NFL has ever seen.

While speaking on The Season with Peter Schrager podcast, Lions general manager Brad Holmes said he feels Gibbs' ability to excel both in the run game and the passing attack is reminiscent of Hall of Famer Marshall Faulk and San Francisco 49ers star Christian McCaffrey:

"When I first got with the Rams in 2003, Marshall Faulk was still there, and I was a huge Marshall Faulk guy -- just kind of seeing what he does in both phases. And just from a scouting standpoint, when Christian McCaffrey came out, he was the last guy that I was like, 'Holy cow, this guy can run routes like a slot receiver but also run it.' So, you start getting reminders of those players. I'm not sitting here saying Jahmyr Gibbs is those players, but (he's) just a special weapon like that. We have a lot of excitement and optimism."

The 12th overall pick in this year's NFL draft, Gibbs registered 151 carries for 926 yards and seven touchdowns along with 44 receptions for 444 yards and three more scores for the Alabama Crimson Tide last season. Prior to that, he spent two seasons at Georgia Tech and was named a second-team All-American in 2021.

Gibbs will be a part of a new-look Detroit backfield next season along with former Chicago Bears running back David Montgomery, who signed a three-year deal with the Lions this offseason.

They will be replacing Jamaal Williams, who signed with the New Orleans Saints in free agency, and D'Andre Swift, who was traded to the Philadelphia Eagles. The two of them spearheaded a Lions rushing offense that ranked 11th in the league with 128.2 yards per game, while Williams led the league with 17 rushing touchdowns.

The Lions are surely hoping to see a similar level of success this season as they try to end a six-year playoff drought.