Washington Football Team: Antonio Gibson a dark horse for OROY

Antonio Gibson could make a run at OROY for the Washington Football Team

The Washington Football Team may not have an official name as of yet, but at least they have a playmaking rookie who has a chance to make a run at the Offensive Rookie of the Year award this upcoming season. Given his versatility as both a runner and a receiver, third round pick Antonio Gibson, one of the more intriguing picks of the draft, has the chance to provide sparks from all over the field in Washington.

While it is easier at the college level to be a hybrid player, as Gibson was, Washington has made it known they will do the same with him in the NFL. Should Gibson thrive with Washington in that hybrid role, as he did at the University of Memphis, then the stat sheet will be in his favor this upcoming season.

Looking at his college production

Gibson burst onto the scene this past season after the departure of two 2019 draft picks in Darrell Henderson and Tony Pollard departed from Memphis. He tallied over 1,000 total yards on the season for the Tigers, as his touches were split practically down the middle.

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Catching 38 passes from either out of the backfield or from the slot, Gibson racked up 735 yards receiving and found the endzone eight times. As a ball carrier, Gibson took on an additional 33 carrier for 369 yards rushing and four more trips to the endzone; he averaged a massive 11 yards per carry when tasked with running back duties.

Will Gibson’s college production translate?

Unfortunate for the Washington Football Team, but fortunate for Gibson, the wide receiver position is currently thin after the injury to second year player Kelvin Harmon. It is not just Steven Sims, Terry McLaurin, and 2020 NFL Draft pick Antonio Gandy-Golden as potential big play threats; this should leave plenty on the table for Gibson.

As a running back, Gibson has a decent probability of eating up some carries as well, as two of Washington’s running backs are coming off of significant knee injuries in Darius Guice and Bryce Love. While Adrian Peterson seems to be an ageless wonder, one has to wonder how many carries his body can take this season.

This will leave plenty of room for Gibson to siphon off touches from both the wide receiver unit as well as the running backs in 2020. Should Gibson see a large amount of targets in the passing game, as well as a decent amount of carries, he has a real chance to make a run at the Offensive Rookie of the Year award.