Believe it or not, but the New England Patriots could invest even more draft capital into the running back position during the 2020 NFL Draft. While the depth chart is currently stuffed with talent, the Patriots could need a pass-catching threat in 2021. Both Rex Burkhead and James White are entering the final years of their contracts, and both are getting up there in years. Burkhead’s departure is a foregone conclusion, but White could be more of a surprise. However, the Patriots are notorious for moving on one year too early instead of one year too late. This philosophy could mean White is on the way out, as he’ll be 29 years old when he hits free agency. If they don’t want to bring back White for a third contract, the Patriots could invest in Memphis running back Antonio Gibson.
New England Patriots NFL Draft Targets: Antonio Gibson
The pass-catching running back is an important role in New England’s offense, and the Patriots typically have their “next guy” on the roster before they move on from the current guy. New England drafted Shane Vereen in 2011 despite having Danny Woodhead under contract through 2012. Likewise, the Patriots drafted James White in 2014, even with Shane Vereen under contract for one more season. Drafting someone like Gibson would make sense based on how New England has historically handled situations like this.
Gibson possesses the big-play ability that would make him a star in this offense. Spending time at wide receiver and running back, Gibson had a knack for making big plays whenever he touched the ball. Throughout his college career, he recorded 14 touchdowns on just 77 touches, including seven touchdowns of 40 or more yards. The Memphis product spent time at running back and receiver, so nobody should question his ability to contribute in the passing game.
Gibson isn’t the most natural pure runner in this class, but he’s capable of reading his blocks and picking the right hole at an NFL level. When in the open field, Gibson has an advanced ability to make defenders miss and can even use his strength to move some defensive backs and pick up every available yard. As the cherry on top, he can also make an immediate contribution on special teams.
The Downside
Aside from positional value, there is a reason that Antonio Gibson isn’t projected to go earlier than the fourth round. Gibson is an exciting football player, but he doesn’t have a true position. While he can make plays in the open field, he struggles to get there on his own. Despite his quickness, he is surprisingly bad at route running. He might not be able to effectively line up in the slot, and that definitely limits his value. As previously mentioned, he’s solid, but nothing special, as a runner.
Another worry is his minimal usage in college. As previously mentioned, he only received 77 touches and hardly saw the field before his senior season. Based on film alone, there is no reason for this underwhelming playtime. However, coaches typically have reasons for doing the things they do, so there could be some behind-the-scenes red flag with Gibson. That said, Tennessee refused to give Alvin Kamara a full workload, and it’s safe to say that third-round gamble paid off for the New Orleans Saints.
Ultimately, the rewards far outweigh the risks when it comes to Antonio Gibson. Josh McDaniels is one of the best in the league at putting running backs in the open field, so his relatively underwhelming route running isn’t a dealbreaker. He’s dangerous in space, and that’s the most important trait for a pass-catching running back. He follows his blocks well enough to be more than just a third-down back and should be a nice weapon in this offense. The low collegiate workload is something of a red flag, but that’s a red flag you can live with when drafting in the fourth round.
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