No Bijan Robinson? Eagles Draft RB Jahmyr Gibbs in Mel Kiper's Latest Mock
Mel Kiper has the Philadelphia Eagles taking a running back in his latest mock draft.
It’s not Bijan Robinson.
Instead, the longtime ESPN draft guru has the Eagles trading back from No. 30 to take Alabama running back Jahmyr Gibbs early in the second round.
Kiper explained his reasoning during a conference call on Wednesday.
“I think you'll look at where we are right now with running back (and) Gibbs is an all-around guy and he's a heck of a receiver out of the backfield,” he said. “(They took) Miles Sanders in the second round when they passed on Josh Jacobs. Gibbs I think would be intriguing because he can do a little more than people think because of his running skills.
“He can be a guy that can get 15 carries a game and his receiving talent out of the backfield. His ability to be a game-breaker, a home run hitter, is certainly there. I had them making that trade moving down.”
Gibbs has been compared to New Orleans Saints running back Alvin Kamara. He ran a 4.36 in the 40 at the NFL Scouting Combine.
The 5-9, 199-pound running back had 383 carries in three seasons with the Crimson Tide and 15 touchdowns while adding 103 receptions for 1,212 yards and three scores in the passing game.
Kiper said he likes Calijah Kancey as a fit for the Eagles, too, but has the Pitt defensive tackle going a spot ahead of the Eagles in the draft, No. 29. Hence, the trade down to take Gibbs.
Kiper has the Eagles taking Northwestern offensive lineman Peter Skoronski with the 10th overall selection on April 27.
“They'd like to go in the trenches early,” he said. “So I gave him a pass rusher there. I gave them Skoronski, the guy that I think could be an immediate Pro Bowl guard, and gives them flexibility to kick outside to tackle and be a swingman and to play really all five spots.
“So, I just felt like it's set up for them if they could move out of 30 and get the running back, and then get the pass rusher when you already have the O-linemen. Then, all of a sudden, they've solved their need areas and are pretty much off to the races.”
That pass rusher Kiper is talking about is Auburn’s Derick Hall, who he has the Eagles taking with their own pick at No. 62.
Hall, who is 6-3 and 254 pounds, is a team captain and has the kind of high character that attracts Eagles GM Howie Roseman. He had 19.5 sacks in his final three years with the Tigers.
So far, the Eagles have scheduled eight defensive players for a visit among the 17 candidates who have been reported for a top-30 visit. Hall is not on that list, so far.
Only one visit has been used on a running back, and that was Robinson.
Of course, just because a player doesn’t come to Philadelphia to be further checked out by an organization doesn’t mean he won’t be drafted by that organization.
Ed Kracz covers the Philadelphia Eagles for SI's EaglesToday.
Please follow him and our Eagles coverage on Twitter at @kracze.
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