Eagles Draft Rumors: Some Teams Don't Have Bijan Robinson Ranked as Top RB

Bijan Robinson may not be the only running back of interest to the Philadelphia Eagles in the first round of the NFL Draft.

In less than week, we'll learn whether general manager Howie Roseman and the Philadelphia Eagles believe Bijan Robinson is a special enough talent to feel it's worth selecting the former Texas Longhorns running back with the No. 10 overall pick.

However, there apparently isn't universal belief that Robinson is the top overall running back in the 2023 NFL Draft Class. 

ESPN's Jeremy Fowler said in a radio appearance Saturday morning that there are some teams in the NFL who believe that Alabama's Jahmyr Gibbs is the top running back on the board, as opposed to Robinson.

After transferring from Georgia Tech, Gibbs averaged 6.1 yards per carry, finishing his lone season with the Crimson Tide with 926 rushing yards. He also had 44 receptions for 444 yards in 2022. In total, Gibbs finished the season with 10 touchdowns.

Jahmyr Gibbs would provide an instant spark to the offense. #Eagles pic.twitter.com/fGJkA7jcFm

— Word On The Birds (@WordOnTheBirds) April 16, 2023

While the guess here is that some teams are hopeful that Robinson will fall to them --and that perhaps influences this information being put out -- Gibbs is unquestionably a prospect that should be on the radar of Eagles fans. Robinson is the No. 2 overall rated prospect in this year's class per the Draft Network, but Gibbs is No. 6. If he's on the board for the Eagles at No. 30, or if they trade down at No. 10, it would seemingly be a good value pick.

There's understandable hesitation about using high draft picks on running backs since each year there are diamonds in the rough that can be found later on in the NFL Draft.

Additionally, if a running back is a star in his rookie deal, he'll earn a second contract. Since there's such a short lifespan at the position, you end up paying for past production. Former Dallas Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott is a good example of this.

However, the Eagles are in a unique position. They are the defending NFC Champions and only have the No. 10 pick because of a trade made with the New Orleans Saints last draft cycle. They have a franchise quarterback in Jalen Hurts, an elite offensive line and two star wide receivers. It's scary to think about what Nick Sirianni, Brian Johnson and the Eagles could do if they had a star running back to add into the mix. 

Both because the Eagles have other capable options at running back -- Kenneth Gainwell, Rashaad Penny and Boston Scott -- and because Gibbs and Robinson have value as pass catchers, it's also possible they age more like Alvin Kamara than Elliott. 

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