SEC Football: Jahmyr Gibbs is Alabama’s best kept secret

The best kept secret in all of college and SEC Football resides in the backyard of Alabama.

SEC Football transfer Jahmyr Gibbs is Alabama’s best kept secret

Running back Jahmyr Gibbs is a junior transfer from Georgia Tech now playing for Nick Saban and the Crimson Tide.

Gibbs has a chance to be one of the top running backs in the nation, and is on one of, if not the, best offenses in the nation.

He’s a Swiss army knife player that can do it all out of the backfield. In two years at Georgia Tech, Gibbs versatility was on full display earning him the second highest receiving grade for a running back in the nation (91.5) by Pro Football Focus.

Standing at 5’11 and weighing 200 pounds, he now brings his talents to Tuscaloosa where he looks to become one of the premiere running backs in the game.

In high school, Gibbs was rated a three star prospect at the end of his junior year and decided to commit to Georgia Tech.

After continued success in his senior year he was rated a four star player and received offers from Florida, Georgia, and Alabama but still decided to stay with the Yellowjackets.

In his first two seasons with Georgia Tech, Gibbs experienced immediate success on the ground, through the air, and on returns.

In 7 games in his freshman year he ran for 460 yards and 4 touchdowns while catching 24 balls for 303 yards. On kickoff returns he also added 205 yards, and for this he was named honorable mention All-ACC as a return specialist in 2020.

In a full season in 2021, Gibbs rushed for a team-leading 746 yards and 4 touchdowns, caught 35 passes for 465 yards (second on the team), and returned 23 kickoffs for 589 total yards and 1 touchdown.

He earned First Team All-ACC honors and was selected 2nd Team All-American for his performances in his sophomore year.

In two seasons, he averaged 5.2 yards per carry, 12.9 yards per reception, and has yet to lose a fumble in his college career.

Now Gibbs, who announced his transfer to Alabama back in December, will join a crowded, but wide open running back room.

Brian Robinson Jr., the Crimson Tide’s leading rusher in 2021, has graduated which left the starting job up for grabs.

In the spring it was Gibbs, Trey Sanders, and early enrollee Jamarion Miller receiving a majority of the reps.

Gibbs and Sanders were first team offense (Crimson) for the spring game. And in the Golden Flake A-Day Game, Gibbs showed why he was worthy of the top spot on the depth chart.

During the A-Day scrimmage, the only player to score and make an impact for Team Crimson was Gibbs who broke off a 75-yard touchdown run in the third quarter. He finished the day having carried the ball nine times for 100 yards and a touchdown.

And for his efforts, he won the Dixie Howell Memorial Award (MVP award) for the game.

Sanders only rushed for 14 yards on 4 carries as the Alabama defense dominated the day. They also held Bryce Young to under 50% passing,153 yards, 0 touchdowns and 1 interception, making Gibbs performance all the more notable.

Other running backs are also set to join the Tide later on this year, but after a dynamic spring it seems like Gibbs will lead the way in Alabama’s backfield.

Jase McClellan and Roydell Williams weren’t able to participate in spring camp because they each suffered season ending knee injuries last fall. And Alabama will also welcome 4-star recruit Emmanuel Henderson in the summer.

But it looks like they will all have to take a backseat to Gibbs who looks to burst into the national spotlight.