The Detroit Lions shocked the NFL world on Thursday with their selection of Jahmyr Gibbs, the Alabama running back who wasn't even projected to go in the first round by many prognosticators.
Detroit traded its 6th and 81st overall pick to Arizona for the Cardinals' 12th, 34th, and 168th overall picks.
With the offseason signing of running back David Montgomery from the Chicago Bears and D'Andre Swift already in tow, few thought the Lions would take a running back in the first round.
They made the move anyway, selecting the 5-foot-11, 200-pound Gibbs at number 12 overall.
“I feel great. I didn't know I was going to get picked as high as I did,” Gibbs said following the selection.
Last season, Gibbs rushed for 926 yards and seven touchdowns for the Crimson Tide, averaging 6.1 yards per carry. He also caught 44 passes for 444 yards and three touchdowns, illustrating his potential value to an offense that loves to get the ball to its playmakers in space behind incumbent quarterback Jared Goff.
Gibbs also gives the Lions an extra receiving threat in the absence of Jameson Williams, his former Alabama teammate who was suspended for the first six games of the season.
Lions Head Coach Dan Campbell and General Manager Brad Holmes embraced amidst a celebratory mood in the Lions' draft room as the pick was announced, indicating that the team may have been targeting the selection of the relatively unheralded running back from the opening bell.
Adding to the shock value of the Lions' draft, the team selected Iowa linebacker Jack Campbell with the 18th pick in the first round.
As the first round continues to wind down, it appears likely that the Lions will stand pat heading into Day Two.
For Jahmyr Gibbs, an NFL dream is just beginning. For Detroit Lions fans, the next phase of trusting Campbell and Holmes' surprising moves in pursuit of the team's first ever Super Bowl championship has also just begun.
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