Making the case for Bijan Robinson
An argument as to why the Falcons should draft Bijan Robinson
Before we dive into Bijan and the reasons why he makes sense for the Falcons at eighth overall, we first need to briefly touch on some wider contextual points.
The first point to note and understand is that this draft class isn’t good and as a result, sitting where Atlanta does at the back end of the top ten, it’s entirely possible the blue chip prospects will have come and gone by the time the Falcons are on the clock. After the QB’s and blue chippers this class falls off steeply with a bloated middle ground of prospects who in other years would be nothing more than borderline first round picks.
The simple truth is if they stay at 8 there is every chance the Falcons will be picking a flawed prospect who when viewed in the context of top 10 picks will simply be poor value.
While the NFL has done a good job in recent years of adjusting the value they assign to running backs there comes a point in any draft where a blue chip RB has to become value vs a plethora of middling alternatives.
Cost controlled: For all teams have done a good job of adjusting their positional values, the real beauty of a first round pick is that player essentially can stay under team control for 7 years without having to sign a long term extension. (4+1 + franchise tag x 2 (120% second year)).
Assuming Robinson is the player & prospect the consensus suggests he is, a first round pick essentially buys you an extended contractual grace period throughout the players prime years.
We can debate RB value all we want but an elite playmaker under team control for up to 7 years sounds pretty good value.
On the field Robinson not only fits seamlessly into Arthur Smith’s run centric offense but he also brings versatility and a different dimension to an offense which remains in need of some off speed pitches. For all Robinson is lauded as a generational running back prospect it is his legitimate receiving abilities, teased throughout his college career, which make him such a unique prospect.
Robinson’s 16.53 YPR is head and shoulders above the rest of the backs in the class and speaks to his ability to be flexed out as a legitimate receiver and not merely an extension of the running game as with most backs.
Watching the 2022 Falcons offense and it was painful at times to watch them try and move the ball through the air. With the receiving corps still needing multiple additions Robinson would be a welcome addition for Desmond Ridder who remains badly in need of receiving options he can trust.
Robinson is understandably a unique prospect due to what seems an almost universal acceptance of his abilities with the only sticking point being how high to value a generational player at a position of minimal value. For all the ‘value’ questions are valid, as always they have to be viewed within the wider understanding of the draft class as a whole and hopefully we have at least highlighted how his selection could make sense both on and off the field.