For years now, NFL teams have largely stayed away from picking running backs early in the first round, believing they can get a better value later on in the draft.
However, in the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft night two running backs came off the board in the first 12 picks.
It started in the top ten with the Atlanta Falcons, who used the 8th pick in the draft to pick Texas running back Bijan Robinson, who many experts believed to be among the best overall prospects in the draft after winning the Doak Walker Award and being selected as a unanimous All American last season to go along with first-team All-Big 12 honors the last two years.
Just a few picks later last night at #12, the Detroit Lions used their pick to grab Alabama running back Jahmyr Gibbs. The gifted Gibbs has a skillset that make him a threat as a receiver as well, and he started his career at Georgia Tech, where he played for two seasons and was a First-Team All ACC selection in 2021 before transferring to play for Nick Saban in Tuscaloosa.
Other than going in the first round, what do those two talented backs have in common?
Both young men were coached in college by Tashard Choice, who enjoyed a unique draft night experience last night.
After coaching the running backs at Georgia Tech from 2019-21 Choice joined the Texas staff heading into the 2022 season.
As a former NFL running back himself, Choice is well aware of what it takes to be a back in the league. He was selected in the 4th Round out of Georgia Tech in 2008 and went on to spend six seasons in the NFL with the Cowboys, Redskins, Bills and Colts.
In an era where NFL teams rarely spent a first-round pick on a running back, Choice had two guys he's worked with chosen among the top 12 picks of the draft.
Pretty incredible for a guy that joined the on-field coaching ranks in 2018 when he transitioned from graduate assistant at North Texas to their running backs coach.
2018 is a special year in this timeline because, up until Bijan was picked last night, it was the last time a running back was taken in the top 10. That year the Giants used the second pick in the draft to pick Penn State running back Saquan Barkley. Between that pick, and Bijan coming off the board last night, only five running backs had been taken in the first round of the last four NFL Drafts.
Pretty special night for Choice, Bijan, and Gibbs all last night.