Bijan Robinson vs. Jahmyr Gibbs: Comparing stats, 40 times, more from two RBs of 2023 NFL Draft

Zac Al-Khateeb

Bijan Robinson vs. Jahmyr Gibbs: Comparing stats, 40 times, more from two RBs of 2023 NFL Draft image

When it comes to running backs in the 2023 NFL Draft, two in particular stand out above all others: Texas' Bijan Robinson, and Alabama's Jahmyr Gibbs.

The impressive versatility, speed and athleticism displayed by both Robinson and Gibbs in college and at the NFL Combine have raised their stock tremendously, even as the position has greatly depreciated in value. (That is helped in no small part by both players' pass-catching ability out of the backfield.)

Robinson is the consensus top back of the class, though Gibbs has quickly risen up draftniks' boards as another potential first-round selection. While the former almost certainly will go first between the two, it's still worth taking a closer side-by-side inspection of the players, and where they might land in this year's draft.

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With that, here's everything you need to know about Robinson and Gibbs, including college stats and highlights, scouting reports, RAS scores, 40 times and more:

Bijan Robinson vs. Jahmyr Gibbs

Bijan Robinson mock draft

TSN's Vinnie Iyer projects Robinson will be the first back taken off the board, with the Lions using their second pick of the first round to draft him No. 18 overall. There, he would join an explosive offense that includes quarterback Jared Goff and receivers Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jameson Williams.

Writes Iyer of Robinson:

The Lions have grown weary of D'Andre Swift's durability issues and that's why they got a more well-rounded back in David Montgomery to replace Jamaal Williams. That could be setting them up to also move on from Swift, with Montgomery settling into a pure backup role. Robinson is a terrific power back who has special three-down skills. His explosiveness behind their elite line to complement a downfield passing game would be game-changing for an already loaded offense.

MORE: Top 10 running backs in NFL Draft, from Bijan Robinson to Tyjae Spears

Jahmyr Gibbs mock draft

Iyer has the Eagles using their second first-round pick (30th overall) to draft Gibbs. In Philadelphia, he not only would run behind the most dominant line in the NFL, but would also benefit from Jalen Hurts' rushing ability and deep-threat receivers A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith.

The Eagles can't go into the season trusting oft-injured former Seahawk Rashaad Penny as a reliable lead back to replace Miles Sanders and should just make this worthy luxury pick, putting Alabama's latest star back with (quarterback Jalen Hurts). Gibbs blazed to a 4.36 40-yard dash and also showed tremendous receiving skills on top of being a compact power back capable of holding up for three downs in the Frank Gore vein.

MORE: Who is Jahmyr Gibbs? What to know about Alabama RB looking to earn first-round NFL draft selection

Bijan Robinson stats

Rushing

Year Carries Yards Touchdowns YPC
2020 86 703 4 8.2
2021 195 1,127 11 5.8
2022 258 1,580 18 6.1

Receiving

Year Receptions Yards Touchdowns YPR
2020 15 196 2 13.1
2021 26 295 4 11.3
2022 19 314 2 16.5

All purpose

Year Touches Yards Touchdowns YPT
2020 101 899 6 8.9
2021 221 1,422 15 6.4
2022 277 1,894 20 6.8

Jahmyr Gibbs stats

Rushing

Year Carries Yards Touchdowns YPC
2020 89 460 4 5.2
2021 143 746 4 5.2
2022 151 926 7 6.1

Receiving

Year Receptions Yards Touchdowns YPR
2020 24 303 3 12.6
2021 36 470 2 13.1
2022 44 444 3 10.1

All purpose*

Year Touches Yards Touchdowns YPT
2020 121 968 7 8.0
2021 202 1,805 7 8.9
2022 208 1,628 10 7.8

* Includes kickoff returns

MORE: Why Bijan Robinson is poised to show he's Texas' next great NFL running back

Bijan Robinson 40 time

Robinson ran a 4.47 in the 40-yard dash at the 2023 NFL Combine, good for the sixth-fastest time among running backs this year.

Jahmyr Gibbs 40 time

Gibbs ran a 4.36 40 at the combine, good for the second-fastest time of any running back. He trails only Texas A&M's Devon Achane, who ran a 4.32.

MORE: What is a Relative Athletic Score? What to know about the NFL Combine player evaluation tool

Bijan Robinson RAS

Much has been made of Relative Athletic Score in recent years. Developed by Kent Lee Platte, it essentially is a metric that boils down a player's NFL Combine measurables, such as height, weight, drill results, etc., and scores it on a scale of 0 (lowest) to 10 (highest) depending on their position.

Robinson had among the highest RAS scores of running backs at the 2023 NFL combine, scoring a possible 9.83 out of 10, which would grade him as elite in this year's running back class. Here is a more detailed breakdown of his RAS.

Jahmyr Gibbs RAS

Gibbs earned an 8.03 on the RAS scale at this year's combine — a "good" score that was hampered by his "poor" height and weight attributes of 5-9 and 199 pounds, respectively. He also received a poor explosive grade in the vertical leap, where he jumped 33.5 inches.

But Gibbs' speed grades in the 40-yard dash and 20- and 10-yard splits were all elite, with scores of 9.89, 9.76 and 9.73, respectively. Indeed, his speed has turned Gibbs into a potential first-round draft choice, or perhaps an early second-rounder.

Here is a detailed breakdown of Gibbs' RAS, as well as how he and Robinson compare.

Zac Al-Khateeb

Zac Al-Khateeb Photo

Zac Al-Khateeb has been part of The Sporting News team since 2015 after earning his Bachelor's (2013) and Master's (2014) degrees in journalism at the University of Alabama. Prior to joining TSN, he covered high school sports and general news in Alabama. A college sports specialist, Zac has been a voter for the Biletnikoff Award and Heisman Trophy since 2020.