Pats Pulpit
Previewing the Patriots running back heading into his second season in New England.
The New England Patriots had a simple plan in mind heading into the 2024 season. They wanted to play a run-heavy style of offense in order to a) ease some pressure off of quarterbacks Jacoby Brissett or Drake Maye, and b) control the tempo of the game to play into what was, on paper, a strong defensive unit.
As part of those efforts, the Patriots invested a three-year contract in former Washington Commanders running back Antonio Gibson. Even though the overall plan did not materialize, Gibson himself had some encouraging moments.
Name: Antonio Gibson
Position: Running back
Jersey number: 4
Opening day age: 27 (6/23/1998)
Measurements: 6’0 3/8”, 228 lbs, 75 1/2” wingspan, 31 1/8” arm length, 8 5/8” hand size, 4.39s 40-yard dash, 35” vertical jump, 9’10” broad jump, 16 bench press reps, 9.59 Relative Athletic Score
NFL: Washington Football Team/Commanders (2020-23), New England Patriots (2024-) | College: East Central Community College (2016-17), Memphis (2018-19)
A multi-sport athlete at Eagle’s Landing in McDonough, GA, Gibson’s versatility also extended to the gridiron, where he played wide receiver, quarterback and safety. Despite a productive high school career, his grades prevented him from getting rated and he eventually joined East Central Community College for two years. He later transferred to Memphis as a three-star juco recruit, and over the course of two seasons caught 44 passes for 834 yards and 10 touchdowns.
In addition to his work as a slot receiver, he also was used as a part-time running back and registered 33 carries for 369 yards and 4 scores during his senior campaign with the Tigers — a sign of things to come. Gibson made the full-time move to the position upon entering the NFL in 2020.
Despite a relative lack of experience, Gibson was selected 66th overall by Washington in the third round of the 2020 draft. He ended up spending four years with the Commanders, appearing in 62 combines games and registering 3,961 yards from scrimmage as well as 29 touchdowns. However, his opportunities steadily decreased after a 1,331-yard season as a sophomore in 2021 which in turn paved the way for him to come to Foxborough.
Gibson joined the Patriots in March 2024 via a three-year, $11.25 million contract.
Strengths: Gibson is a well-built player, who carries 228 pounds easily while still moving quite well. His mix of straight-line speed, explosivity and agility allow him to be effective in a variety of blocking schemes and also allow him to be used in a variety of ways as a receiver; he is not just your classic backfield option in the passing game, but also can line up in the slot and split out wide without skipping a beat.
Gibson times his cutbacks well and combines a good vision with the ability to keep his feet moving through contact. In general, he is not easy to bring down and...
