After three extremely productive seasons with the Texas Longhorns, star running back Bijan Robinson is forgoing his senior season, announcing his intention to declare for the 2023 NFL Draft.
Robinson will not play in the Valero Alamo Bowl game against Washington and instead will focus his attention on acing the pre-draft evaluation process. Considering Robinson is already viewed as the top running back from his draft class, the potential first-round pick may not have much room for growth.
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Bijan Robinson scouting report
A five-star recruit coming out of Arizona, Robinson knew where he wanted to begin his college career, committing to Texas, where he nearly became an instant sensation. Robinson saw the field plenty as a freshman, racking up 899 yards from scrimmage to go with six touchdowns.
But this was nothing compared to what we’d see from the 6-foot, 215-pound back over the next two seasons, where he was a first-team All-Big 12 member in both years.
- Bijan Robinson stats (college): 3,410 rushing yards, 33 rushing touchdowns, 805 receiving yards, 8 TD catches
Despite his stout frame, Robinson is actually very shifty, thanks to having good, quick feet. Unlike many other ‘bigger’ backs, Robinson is also an above-average pass-catcher, making him the total package. Whether he’s running north/south, or east/west, Robinson is a menace in the open field, where his size and speed are a threat to score on any play.
He’s not the fastest, but Robinson has enough speed to be a top-producing back at the next level, just as he was at Texas. Robinson capped off his college career by winning the Doak Walker Award, given to the nation’s top running back, and now he’ll look to continue that effort in the NFL.
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Bijan Robinson NFL draft fits
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Buccaneers run the ball less than any other team in the NFL this season, but looking at their dead-last 3.3 YPA, it’s not hard to see why. They also have the league’s fewest touchdowns and rushing yards.
Third-round rookie Rachaad White has been the best of the bunch, but even his 3.8 YPA doesn’t scream greatness. Meanwhile, Leonard Fournette is still the team’s rushing touchdown leader, as White has been able to find the end zone just once.
The Bucs would greatly benefit from a player who’s the total package, such as Robinson. He’d provide a spark to the offense whether Tom Brady returns or not. With the Buccaneers currently projected to pick 19th in April, they’re in the perfect spot to land the top running back in the draft.
Detroit Lions
The Lions already boast a top-five scoring offense, and they’ve struck gold with Jamaal Williams leading the NFL in rushing touchdowns. But the Lions could use more help reaching the end zone, as Williams would benefit from having a shared workload with another talented back. Yet, there’s no guarantee the Lions will even be able to retain the pending free agent (this Hard Knocks clip may suggest otherwise).
Related: Bijan Robinson highlights
Either way, if Williams returns or not, the Lions would be wise to add another dynamic runner to their backfield, as D’Andre Swift hasn’t been the solution. Robinson would bring yet another weapon for Jared Goff to connect with while also taking Detroit’s already solid rushing offense to the next level. With the Lions projected to have the fifth and 18th pick as of this writing, they have plenty of ammo to secure the top back from the incoming draft class.
Houston Texans
Another team who recently selected a running back, adding Dameon Pierce in the fourth round last April, the Texans may see the chance to bring a Texas legend to Houston as too good of an opportunity to pass up.
Even with Pierce, who’s understandably still adjusting to the speed and physicality of the game, the Texans have the third-worst rushing attack in football. Robinson could instantly provide a spark, taking over the starting role, with Pierce becoming a valuable backup.
With Houston projected to have the top pick, plus No. 13, they too have plenty of draft capital to add an impact player (likely a QB) with their first pick and possibly slide down a bit to select Robinson, giving their franchise a new-look backfield to move forward with.
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