The Washington Redskins bucked the public narrative in the third round of the 2020 NFL Draft, selecting a RB/WR hybrid in Memphis’ Antonio Gibson, rather than selecting some of the top cornerbacks or tight ends left on the board.
So who is this guy that the Redskins have entrusted with their third-round pick? Here are five interesting tidbits about him.
Bigger Than McCaffrey, but Similar Skill Set
Gibson stands at 6-foot-2, 220 pounds, and he has a quick burst out of the backfield with a reliable set of hands. Now that he is playing in Washington under a coaching staff that introduced Christain McCaffrey to the NFL, there is reason to believe that he could be put in a similar position as the Carolina Panthers superstar. With offensive coordinator Scott Turner overseeing his development, we are sure to see Gibson spread out in a number of different packages on offense, and he will surely keep the defense guessing every down.
Good Offensive Player, Great Special Teams Threat
The Redskins drafted Gibson for his offensive talent, but they have every intention of plugging him into the special teams game going forward as well. Whether it’s alongside Steven Sims Jr. on kick return or back deep on punt returns, Washington knows that they have a dynamic return man on their hands who can help flip the field in important situations.
Don’t Pigeon-Hole Him
Don’t think that Gibson is just a running back. Throughout his time at Memphis, he lined up outside on the number a ton, and he has the type of hands that can make him a threat in the passing game. While his route-running may not be up to par with some of the top receivers in the game, he is the epitome of a positionless football player that can do some impressive things with the ball in his hands.
Grades Kept him From D1 Out of High School
“Grades were just … at the end of the day, you could also blame me to be honest, but as a young kid, I was getting bad grades and my coaches weren’t really saying anything to me because they wanted me to play,” Gibson told USA TODAY’s Draft Wire recently. “It wasn’t until my junior year I started getting offers but I couldn’t accept them, or they couldn’t officially offer them because of my grades. So, that’s when it started clicking to me that I need this [college], and that’s the reason I had to go to JUCO route.”
Gibson Average 11.2 Yards Per Carry in 2019
Yes, that’s right. Gibson averaged 11.2 yards per carry. Moreover, he proved to be absolutely ridiculous when it came to breaking tackles. He broke 16 tackles on his 33 carries and 17 tackles on his 38 receptions, according to Pro Football Focus. Small sample size, yes, but those numbers are just insane when a broken tackle rate of 25% is shooting par. And as crazy as the numbers are, Gibson’s 2019 game tape is even more preposterous.
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