Lions rookie Jahmyr Gibbs has a defiant message for all his haters

The Detroit Lions chosen operating again Jahmyr Gibbs greater than any pundits anticipated, however the Alabama product doesn’t remotely care.

Jahmyr Gibbs is predicted to compete for carries with the newly-acquired David Montgomery. Montgomery, a former Chicago Bear, signed a three-year contract this spring.

Gibbs, nevertheless, was a shocking choice at No. 12. Detroit traded again within the draft, which allowed Gibbs to fall to them. Bijan Robinson was additionally on the desk at one level, however the Lions insisted that Gibbs was all the time their man.

Pundits and league executives had been shocked by Brad Holmes’ draft technique. Detroit chosen Gibbs, after which dealt former second-round choose D’Andre Swift to the Philadelphia Eagles.

Lions: Jahmyr Gibbs has message for the haters

As Pro Football Talk’s Josh Apler outlines, Detroit deciding on Gibbs seemingly got here out of nowhere:

“Gibbs was a productive participant at Alabama, however groups have gone away from utilizing excessive draft picks on operating backs in recent times and few predicted Gibbs would buck that pattern earlier than the Lions handed of their choose. That led to some criticism of the group’s decision-making course of, however Gibbs mentioned he was not paying any thoughts to those that felt that manner.”

Gibbs, nonetheless, doesn’t actually care what these outdoors the group suppose. He’s able to show all of them flawed.

“Everyone’s entitled to their opinion, I actually don’t care,” Gibbs mentioned, via Bob Wojnowski of the Detroit News. “It feels nice to be part of one thing particular. Going up, shifting ahead, it’ll be enjoyable to observe.”

Gibbs suffered a slight ankle harm early on in rookie camp, resulting in some fear from Lions trustworthy. Given Gibbs is predicted to be a high-usage participant early on, any setback may interrupt his NFL studying curve, which might make a dangerous choose look a lot worse. FanSided’s John Buhler mentioned the chance of Detroit’s backfield plan on Saturday:

“You don’t commerce Swift or let Jamaal Williams stroll in NFL free company if you happen to don’t have a succession plan within the backfield. Detroit’s lack of ability to run the soccer successfully was one of many franchise’s many Achilles heels through the Matthew Stafford period below heart. Pounding the rock could also be at Campbell’s ethos, man, however we didn’t see Gibbs set the SEC on hearth throughout his one yr at Alabama.

So long as Gibbs is wholesome and delivers for the Lions starting in Week 1, none of this can matter.”

Come Week 1, all eyes will likely be on Gibbs to ship.