Executives, coaches, and scouts ranked Falcons Bijan Robinson as a top 10 RB in the NFL
The expectations placed on RB Bijan Robinson after the Atlanta Falcons used the eighth overall pick in the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft on him were extremely high. Though he didn't quite meet those marks, the rookie flashed the type of player he can become. And it looks like he still has the NFL's […]
The expectations placed on RB Bijan Robinson after the Atlanta Falcons used the eighth overall pick in the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft on him were extremely high.
Though he didn't quite meet those marks, the rookie flashed the type of player he can become. And it looks like he still has the NFL's attention, with him being ranked as a top 10 RB in the league in a survey that was voted on by NFL executives, scouts, and coaches that ESPN's Jeremy Fowler released.
Bijan Robinson, Falcons
Ranking: 6th
Highest Ranking: 1st
Lowest Ranking: Unranked
Robinson didn't quite validate the hype as a rookie. His 976 rushing yards in 2023, which tied for 15th in the league, fell short of projections for the No. 8 pick in a run-heavy offense.
To be sure, Robinson's usage — despite his obvious ability to shake defenders — was curious at times. Robinson got more than 15 carries in four of 17 games.
"The production is not all him — he's a top-five talent at the position right now," an NFL personnel evaluator said.
That's why the Year 2 expectations are still massive.
Robinson led the league with 5.2 yards per carry against boxes of seven or more defenders. His 35 explosive plays ranked third for running backs.
"If he gets to the second or third level, he's incredibly hard to tackle," an NFL offensive coach said. "Deceptive speed once he gets loose. He reminds me of LeSean McCoy. Very elusive. Really hard to touch him."
– NFL execs, coaches and scouts top 10 RB rankings
Robinson was ranked as the sixth-best RB in the NFL via the survey, with the only RBs higher than him being Christian McCaffery, Breece Hall, Nick Chubb, Saquon Barkley, and Jonathan Taylor. And he also ranked higher than multiple notable RBs such as Josh Jacobs, Jahmyr Gibbs, Derrick Henry, and Travis Etienne Jr.
Though Robinson may not have met the expectations placed on him after being drafted so high his rookie season, he still was able to nearly rush for 1,000 yards, falling just short with 976 yards on 214 carries as well as totaling 487 receiving yards. A big element of him being held back last season was due to his coaching staff having him split carries for the majority of the season with Tyler Algeier, who only had 28 fewer carries than Robinson.
With the new coaching staff in place, there is optimism around Robinson, seeing a big jump in production during his sophomore year as he attempts to reach the heights many projected for him after being drafted so high. His trajectory is certainly pointing in the right direction, and who knows, he may even be able to prove whoever it was in that survey that voted him the best RB in the NFL right in 2024.
