The Atlanta Falcons defied conventional wisdom when they selected Texas running back Bijan Robinson at No. 8 in the 2023 NFL Draft. For years the running back position has been devalued, which led to a wide range of predictions about where Robinson would fall.

Atlanta was thought of as the highest he would go as they look to add more dynamic weapons around quarterback Desmond Ridder. Had he made it past there, the Philadelphia Eagles at No. 10 were thought of as a possibility, as were the Detroit Lions. 

Both the Eagles and Lions had multiple first-round picks, so making a luxury selection of a running back would make sense. The Falcons did not have such a luxury and with so many glaring holes on the roster, some analysts didn’t love the selection.

While it can be argued how high a running back should go in a trade, there is no debate about the caliber of player Robinson is. The Falcons are getting arguably the best prospect in this year’s draft class as he would have been the No. 1 hands down two decades ago.

Running back certainly wasn’t a dire need for the Falcons. They have Tyler Allgeier, who broke the century mark as a rookie in 2022, and Cordarrelle Patterson on the roster.

Despite that, Robinson will open as the favorite to win the Offensive Rookie of the Year Award according to NFL Rookie Watch on Twitter. In addition, they shared some of the wild thoughts that scouts and coaches share. They are already talking about the Texas product as a future Hall of Famer.

Robinson has the ideal size for a three-down running back, standing 6 feet tall and weighing 215 pounds. He has the skill set to do everything you would ask of a running back, whether it is run between the tackles, stretch runs out to the perimeter, catch passes or pass protect.

Watching his film and looking at his stats, it is easy to see why people are so high on him. In 31 games with the Longhorns, Robinson carried the ball 539 times for 3,410 yards and 33 touchdowns. He added 60 receptions for 805 yards and eight more scores.

While the Falcons may not have necessarily needed a running back, none of the players currently on the roster can do what Robinson can. He is a dynamic player, giving them a great young core to build around with Robinson and Allgeier in the backfield, Kyle Pitts at tight end and Drake London at wide receiver.