The Atlanta Falcons knew they were taking a risk selecting Texas running back Bijan Robinson with the No. 8 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. It was a selection that would be mocked by many evaluators who believe you can find productive backfield players later in the draft.
The Falcons are a clear example of that. Last year they selected Tyler Allgeier in the fifth round of the 2022 NFL Draft and he rushed for 1,035 yards as a rookie, averaging 4.9 yards per carry with three touchdowns.
Selecting another running back, in the first round no less, after seeing what Allgeier was capable of certainly left people scratching their heads. But, there were many evaluators who believed Bijan Robinson was the most talented player in this year’s draft class and he has done nothing to change that opinion.
The Texas product has been electric in his first two regular season games. He has carried the ball 29 times for 180 yards, gaining 11 first downs and averaging 6.2 yards per carry. A legitimate dual threat, Bijan Robinson has also caught 10 passes for 75 yards and a touchdown.
There is certainly no denying the positive impact that Bijan Robinson has had on the Falcons in the early going. Coming into the season there were some bold comments about fitting him for a gold jacket already. One person who seems to be jumping on that bandwagon is Connor Rogers of the NFL Stock Exchange.
He made a bold claim about the No. 8 overall pick that was shared by PFF on X, formerly known as Twitter. In Rogers’ opinion, Bijan Robinson has already cemented himself as the best running back in the NFL.
There are certainly some players who can stake a claim to that title. Christian McCaffrey of the San Francisco 49ers would certainly like to have a word, along with Saquon Barkley of the New York Giants.
Despite the negativity that surrounded the running back position this offseason as they fight for what they feel is equal pay, this is a golden era for running backs. There are a lot of talented players at the position around the NFL and Bijan Robinson has a legitimate argument to be considered the best amongst them.
