In the first round of 2023 NFL Draft, the Detroit Lions doubly offended the positional value truthers by taking a running back (Jahmyr Gibbs) and an off-the-ball linebacker (Jack Campbell) in the top-20. With Campbell receiving a big second contract recently and Gibbs set to get one of his own before too long, those detractors were put to bed awhile ago.
CBS Sports analyst Ryan Wilson has done a re-draft of the first round of the 2023 draft. The Lions ended up with neither of their at the time controversial first-rounders, as Gibbs and Campbell both went sooner than No. 12 and No. 18 overall like they did in real-life.
Gibbs went No. 5 overall to the Seattle Seahawks in Wilson's re-draft, while Campbell went No. 15 to the New York Jets in a hypothetical reunion with former Lions' defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn.
In this alternate re-draft universe, the Lions have already paid their RB1
In Campbell's place at No. 18 overall, the Lions got Los Angeles Rams defensive end Byron Young (wait, an edge rusher in the first round? Is Wilson unfamiliar with Brad Holmes' work?). But the more interesting pick in Wilson's re-draft was at No. 12 in place of Gibbs.
Miami Dolphins running back De'Von Achane.
"Achane isn't Gibbs, but he's not far off. And he gives the Lions some much-needed explosiveness out of the backfield in a world where Gibbs is playing for the Seahawks."
Achane's three-season resume obviously isn't quite as good as Gibbs, but most running backs in NFL history can say that. He did have the best season of his career in 2025 though (1,350 rushing yards, a league-best 5.7 yards per carry, 1,838 yards from scrimmage), and imagine what he could do in the Lions' offense when it's at its best.
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An additional tentacle is how the Dolphins have already ponied up to pay Achane, albeit with a little more urgency to get a deal done since he was a third-round pick and was entering the final year of his rookie contract.
While Achane's four-year, $68 million contract extension is nothing to sneeze at, it's not in the $20-plus million a year range like Gibbs' is expected to be. As the Lions try to make room for all the contract extensions they want to get done, a few million dollars here and there can make a difference.
The Lions clearly coveted Gibbs coming out of the 2023 pre-draft process more than any other running back, so it feels unlikely they would've just pivoted to Achane regardless of where they could've drafted him. But in this alternate re-draft world where Gibbs is not a Lion, Achane wouldn't look too bad in Honolulu Blue.
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