Bijan Robinson NFL Draft Overview
Position: Running Back
Height: 5’11”
Weight: 215 lbs
School: Texas
2023 NFL Draft: Bijan Robinson Scouting Report
Bijan Robinson had three tremendous seasons at Texas before declaring early for the 2023 NFL Draft as a Junior. Robinson is one of the best running back prospects to come out of college. His skill set, physicality, athleticism, build, and potential should have NFL teams reaching up draft boards to draft this young star. The former Longhorn has all the tools of an elite back. He has breakaway speed, balance, quickness, toughness, vision, pass-catching ability, and intelligence. Robinson is a decorated college player with success in all three seasons at Texas.
Is Bijan Robinson the next Marshawn Lynch? Or maybe even better? pic.twitter.com/GJFGq6Wldb
— Kyle Yates (@KyleYNFL) March 8, 2023
Robinson tormented Big 12 defenses starting as a Freshman in 2020 with 703 rushing yards and four scores on the ground. He averaged a staggering 8.2 yards per attempt while playing in a committee. Robinson earned the starting position as a Sophomore racking up 1,127 rushing yards with 11 touchdowns. He started off slow with limited opportunities as a Freshman but burst onto the scene during his Sophomore year while leading the backfield. Robinson got his first taste of the feature-back role with 195 carries and made the most of his opportunity, highlighted by a career-high 216 rushing yards on 35 carries against Texas Christian University.
Robinson’s final season at Texas unanimously earned the Doak Walker award and first-team All-American honors. In his final season, he tallied 1,580 yards with 18 touchdowns on the ground. Robinson was just as deadly in the air as he was on the ground with 805 receiving yards on 60 receptions and another eight scores. He would finish ranked fourth all-time in rushing yards with 3,410 yards and first overall with eight receiving touchdowns as a running back.
Strengths
- Breakaway Speed
- Balance
- Vision
- Strength
- Quickness
- Pass-Catching Ability
Weaknesses
- Pass Protection
- Gives up sure yardage looking for a big play
- Needs to emphasize hitting the hole downhill
- Needs to improve decisiveness
- Injury Prone at Texas
NFL Comparison: Saquon Barkley, Josh Jacobs
Teams With Need at Running Back: Miami Dolphins, Dallas Cowboys, Buffalo Bills, Chicago Bears, Philadelphia Eagles, Washington Commanders, Kansas City Chiefs
Projection: 1st Round
Final Thoughts on Bijan Robinson
Robinson is a tremendous prospect. He is a prime candidate to shine in the NFL from his rookie season on. The former Longhorn should garnish three-down back opportunities depending on which team drafts him. If given the opportunity he could see a workload similar to Saquon Barkley’s rookie season (1,307 rush yards on 261 attempts, 721 receiving yards on 91 catches with 15 total touchdowns).
The best player Will Anderson faced in college?
Bijan Robinson 👀 pic.twitter.com/WLBbMXJFWm
— PFF (@PFF) March 5, 2023
There are very few reasons to pump the breaks on Robinson. He has only one season over 200 carries during his college career. Adding his lack of carries to his injury history and Robinson could suffer another injury and miss time. Other young running backs have suffered similar fates struggling with durability and suffering from injuries during their first season, Breece Hall, Travis Etienne Jr., and D’Andre Swift just to name a few.
Another knock on Robinson is his tendency to give up sure yardage and good running lanes while trying to make more out of a play. One last reason for hesitancy is the Big 12 conference. The Big 12 is infamous for having some of the softest defenses in college football. Robinson could struggle to match the physicality having matched up with porous run defenses during his time at the University of Texas. He will have to adjust to the speed of the NFL, much like many other rookies, and take sure yardage when he has the opportunity. If Robinson can be decisive and stay healthy he should become a featured bell-cow running back by the start of his rookie campaign.
Main Image: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY
