Falcons select Bijan Robinson with 8th pick in the NFL Draft

The Atlanta Falcons have selected University of Texas running back Bijan Robinson with the 8th pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, bolstering their skill position group via the first round of the draft for the third consecutive season.

Robinson was thought by many to be the best player in the draft and Atlanta’s braintrust has decided to stay true to their strategy of selecting BPA regardless of position in the first round, just as they have in each of the past two years.

Robinson, a former five star recruit out of Arizona’s Salpointe Catholic High School, had an incredible career at the University of Texas which culminated in a Junior season where he racked up 1,894 yards from scrimmage (1,580 rushing; 314 receiving) and totaled 20 touchdowns (18 rushing; 2 receiving) en route to being named a Unanimous All-American selection and honored with the Doak Walker Award, given to the nation’s best running back.

Robinson is thought to be the best running back prospect the draft has seen since Saquon Barkley in 2018, and he now becomes the highest drafted running back since Barkley was taken with the second overall selection that year.

Our own Everett Glaze put together the scouting report for Bijan that you can find here.

With this selection, the Falcons have put together one of the best skill position groupings in the NFL, with the core of that group (Robinson, Drake London and Kyle Pitts) all being players who are currently 22 years of age or younger. The hope is that it will translate into something special for Atlanta on that side of the ball in 2023 and beyond.