Katie Blackburn-State of the Team

[Soonerpeace]

(04-04-2023, 09:30 PM)Gary Milne Wrote: Now list the all of his strengths and positive attributes.

I did read them. But it was his weaknesses that convinced me he’s not a fit and certainly not at 28. Which was my point.

ProFootballNetwork
• Speed creates ability to widen field for play-callers.
• Runs with instant acceleration and gliding strides.
• Light, quick feet for sudden, lateral cuts.
• Opens the corner by altering tempo and stride to stall pursuit.
• Wiggle results in low success rate for open-field tacklers.
• Mismatch weapon in the passing game.
• Route running makes him a tough cover in man.
• Hands are natural, soft and sure.
• Above average potential as a kick returner.

NFL.com

The hallmark of Gibbs’ running style is his athleticism. The Alabama RB has excellent explosiveness coming upfield. Not only does he have great short-area burst, but he can also accelerate very quickly when opening up his strides. Gibbs can generate abrupt forward bursts of momentum when his path is clear, and he has the acceleration capacity to quickly accumulate yards through tight windows.
On top of his explosiveness, Gibbs possesses phenomenal, effortless short-area athleticism, which he can use to tug defenders off-balance. Gibbs is a high-energy mover with elite twitch who quickly recollects his feet after cuts. His twitch affords him awe-inspiring potential energy on each play.
Furthermore, Gibbs brings loose hips, which allow him to divert course while maintaining acceleration. Gibbs can use his high-level twitch and agility to flow through congested areas and sneak into the open field.
Just as impressive as Gibbs’ short-area athleticism is how he employs and maximizes it with his vision and creative instincts. Gibbs keeps active feet in congested areas and can slip through contact, staying upright. With his hyperactive feet, the Alabama RB can step through successive arm tackles, maintaining balance and speed. He’ll make defenders pay for subpar tackle attempts.


Going further, Gibbs flashes great reading ability. He can quickly identify holes when tracking to the sideline and burst upfield with decisiveness. The Alabama RB can also process angles quickly in space. He can sense lanes closing swiftly and promptly divert to outlets.
Gibbs processes well in tight spaces and can easily identify secondary lanes. He has excellent full-field vision, as well as superb spatial awareness. That awareness is constantly active, allowing him to feel defenders and react in real time.
MORE: 2023 NFL Draft Big Board


Gibbs is an extremely instinctive runner. More than that, he displays situational awareness and discipline. He rarely dances around behind the line of scrimmage in short-yardage situations. And on outside-zone runs, he has the instincts to flatten his angle to pass incoming A- and B-gap defenders, then surge upfield when he’s clear.
He consistently leads runs with a split-step to prepare for potential moves, has excellent timing with his lateral cuts, and is patient in deconstructing angles.
Gibbs naturally throttles up and down to maximize the space he has, as well as create new windows to exploit. The Alabama RB actively presses close behind blocks, forcing defenders to slow up. By doing so, he takes control of the space allotted and can manipulate angles thereafter.


At 5’9″, 199 pounds, Gibbs isn’t an overly imposing back, but he does at least bring measurable physicality to the fold. The Alabama RB has shown he can utilize stiff arms to push down imbalanced defenders and extend plays. He consistently fights to stay on his feet with active footwork and is willing to lower his shoulder and finish forward on runs. On occasion, Gibbs has also shown he can bounce off contact and absorb blows with his hips and torso.
Much of Gibb’s appeal rests in his multi-phase ability. The Alabama RB has high-level ability as a pass-catching RB. As young as he is, he already shows impressive nuance, as he can manipulate defender leverage when running routes. He can press outside and then cut back in, and his short-area agility is an asset at stems.
Gibbs can run routes and split out wide, but he can also use body control to adjust for high passes, catch with his hands extending beyond his frame, and then reset his feet for run-after-catch yards. Gibbs quickly shifts from receiving mode to RAC mode. He’s also shown he can corral passes in stride and haul in passes amidst contact.











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As an athlete, Gibbs has more than enough speed to get to the edge on outside runs and turn the corner upfield. He also has the speed to accelerate along unideal angles and get a step on defenders. In pass protection, he has urgent active feet and brings solid effort. He can square up defenders and surge into contact, and he can also identify points of weakness in the protection and respond quickly.