When Detroit Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs appeared on “The Richard Sherman Podcast” Thursday, he shared his thoughts on the 2023 NFL Draft and revealed something that might bring tears to Dallas Cowboys fans. “I knew for a fact Dallas was going to get me at 26 if I was still there,” Gibbs said, reflecting on the draft process.

The Lions’ decision to pick Gibbs at No. 12 in 2023 initially left many NFL analysts puzzled, but after seeing his performance in his first season and a half, few are questioning it now. In fact, 31 other teams are probably wishing they had taken Gibbs at No. 12 after seeing his impact in Detroit.

While there’s an ongoing belief that running backs shouldn’t be selected so high in the draft, Gibbs’ rapid development has made several teams regret not choosing him. The Cowboys are certainly one of those teams.

Dallas could certainly use a player like Jahmyr Gibbs in their offense.

When looking at the Cowboys’ struggles this season, there are many aspects to consider, including how they approached replacing Tony Pollard after his departure in free agency to Tennessee. Instead of aggressively addressing the need for a running back, they seemed to accept the situation and did little to improve it.

In his interview with Sherman, Gibbs revealed that there was a strong chance he would have ended up in Dallas if he had made it to pick No. 26.

Unfortunately for the Cowboys, that never happened.

Before the 2023 NFL Draft, Gibbs had three college seasons, spending his first two years at Georgia Tech before transferring to Alabama for his final season. He broke out with the Crimson Tide, compiling 1,370 all-purpose yards and 10 total touchdowns. Gibbs was a true dual-threat, excelling both as a rusher and a receiver.

Considering how underwhelming the Cowboys’ rushing attack has been, knowing Gibbs was poised to play in Dallas is a tough pill for fans to swallow.

Through nine games this season, the Cowboys rank second-to-last in the NFL, averaging just 83.7 rushing yards per game. Instead of aggressively targeting Gibbs to revamp their ground game, the Cowboys opted for defensive lineman Mazi Smith, who has yet to make an impact in his rookie year.

According to PFF, Smith is ranked dead last among 120 defensive linemen with a 30.3 PFF defensive grade.

So, while the Cowboys passed on a game-changing running back like Gibbs—who is now among the league’s top performers—they’re left with a disappointing defensive lineman. To be fair, Gibbs was selected earlier than expected, so it’s an unrealistic scenario for Cowboys fans to be overly upset about.