Dan Orlovsky predicts Jahmyr Gibbs will be a 'Deebo Samuel-type' player

The Detroit Lions went against modern NFL Draft philosophy by selecting a running back in the first round. With the No. 12 overall pick, the Lions nabbed former Alabama and Georgia Tech running back Jahmyr Gibbs, a small but shifty ball-carrier and open field runner. But still, in the eyes of many draft pundits, a total reach given the average positional value of the RB position nowadays.

Whether it’s a reach or not, though, Gibbs is a fun add to a Lions team that became one of the feel-good underdog stories of the 2022 NFL season. That Detroit offense last fall was no joke and powered by a young and elite offensive line that’s just as loaded for this coming fall. Quarterback Jared Goff had more time to throw while the running game took a step up despite the lack of a dominant back.

Now, Gibbs may not be a workhorse in the vain of fellow former Tide RB Derrick Henry, but Gibbs provides the skill every team really wants at running back: pass catching. When Alabama had a mass wide receiver exodus and entered last season with little to no proven pass catchers, it was Gibbs who emerged as Bryce Young’s favorite target. The whole Tide offense was messier and less talented than it’s been in ages under Nick Saban, but the two-man game of Young and Gibbs kept them afloat in with one magical improvisation after the other when plays would break down.

That’s why ESPN NFL analyst Dan Orlovsky sees a similar role and a boom in production as a rookie in the Detroit offense. During his recent appearance on the Pat McAfee Show, Orlovsky explained why big things are to come in year one for Gibbs.

“I think Detroit’s offensive line is going to be a top three unit. Jahmyr Gibbs, I honestly believe is going to be north of 1,500 yards from scrimmage, pushing 2,000 yards,” claimed Orlovsky, before making a lofty comparison to a certain star 49er.

“I think he’s just going to be used in such a… I think he’s going to be a Deebo Samuel type of player. That’s the way that they’ll use him, and that makes it so — he’s going to catch four screens a game for 50+ yards. So, put that in the books for Jared Goff” Orlovsky declared as he snapped his fingers.

After that, the two further discussed the Lions and had very high praise for the Detroit offense — or, what they expect from it, especially Orlovsky, who predicts a monster rookie season for Jahmyr Gibbs.