NFL executive compares Jahmyr Gibbs to a former Lions running back, not Barry Sanders or Billy Sims

There might not be a more exciting player on the Detroit Lions roster than Jahmyr Gibbs. He can change a game in an instant with his breakaway speed and shiftiness. That's why, when I was asked who I thought the most important player on this offense was, I went with Gibbs because this thing moves with him. 

Speaking of asking people things, ESPN's Jeremy Fowler started his annual position rankings with the help of NFL executives and scouts on Monday. He started it off with running backs, and Gibbs comes in at third in the league. Hard to argue with that ranking. 

The interesting thing, though, is that an AFC executive compared Gibbs to a former Lions running back not named Barry Sanders or Billy Sims. 

"He's a lot like Reggie Bush, just with a little bit more power," an AFC executive said. "Size will always be a little bit more of an issue with him but his speed and instincts and ability to change the game are a problem and maybe the best in the league."

Sanders and Sims will always be looked at as the top two backs in this franchise's history, but if there were a top five, I think you'd have to put Bush in it. It's not like there were a ton of good guys outside of the two legends, but Bush was what this team needed at the time. 

For years, the Lions went without a 1,000-yard rusher. Sanders retired in 1998, and until Bush did it in 2013, only two other guys did it. James Stewart in 2000 and 2002, and Kevin Jones in 2004.

It's not hard to see how these two guys compare. Just turn on Bush's highlight reel from USC and you'll see a guy who moves a lot like Gibbs. Lightning fast and super shifty. He can change a game just like that. 

You have to agree with the exec on the power side of things. Gibbs might not be David Montgomery, but he has the power to push guys off him and drive through tacklers. If you caught Bush, he was most likely down. That's not the same for Gibbs, and that's why Gibbs should be expected to have a more long-term impact in Detroit than Bush did.