What is the value of a player who has not yet run a yard or even played a single game in the NFL? In the case of Bijan Robinson, it is immense.
Posted at 12:59 a.m. Updated at 8:00 a.m.
The season of pools and famous fantasy happens at lightning speed. Almost as fast as yet another reprint of the book Pierre Gervais: at the heart of the locker room.
The most studious amateurs will undoubtedly have noticed the name of Bijan Robinson appearing very high on the various lists provided by the specialized sites.
So much so that it is legitimate to wonder how a running back just 21 years old, recently drafted and having never jumped on an NFL field before, can be placed in the same boat as some veterans who have already made their mark and proved themselves.
Like Robinson Crusoe, Bijan is alone on his island. No rookie, apart from a quarterback, arouses so much enthusiasm and expectations.
On The Score site’s list, Robinson would be the NFL’s third running back, for production, in the upcoming season.*. The site’s predictions put him ahead of Nick Chubb, Tony Pollard and Saquon Barkley.
Same rank according to ESPN. According to experts from the American network, the Atlanta Falcons player drafted eighth in the last draft will perform better than Barkley, Derrick Henry and Pollard.
Specialists from the Yahoo Sports site, meanwhile, place Robinson in fourth place, ahead of Pollard, Barkley and Henry.
A good profile
Two questions arise.
The first: why are expectations of Robinson so high?
To answer it, just look at what level he was drafted. The former University of Texas Longhorns was picked eighth overall by the Falcons. The last time a running back heard his name spoken in the top 10 was Saquon Barkley, selected second overall by the New York Giants in 2018.
In his final season in the orange uniform, Robinson recorded 18 rushing touchdowns, 1,580 rushing yards, and 19 catches, for two touchdowns, in just 12 games. He also won the Doak-Walker Trophy awarded to the best running back in the country.
Bijan Robinson’s performance at the University of Texas, a most prestigious program, has been historic in various categories.
Before arriving in the NCAA, the native of Arizona had also attracted a lot of attention in his native state by twice winning the trophy for the best high school player.
Now, the second question is what has earned him so much interest and appreciation.
At 5’11” and 215lbs, Robinson is an unstoppable TGV when the ball is wedged between his biceps and pectoral. His feet are nimble and his footwork is hypnotic. He can run lines and find a line of flight both inside and outside the defensive wall. He has a vision of the game superior to the average of his contemporaries allowing him to anticipate the play of defensive players for miles around. It is also excellent by air, to capture balloons. He also maintains a very low center of gravity, making tackles even more difficult for his opponents.
Even if lending to the game of comparisons is often a bad idea, it helps to understand a little better the profile of a player when it is still unknown to many amateurs.
Robinson’s style is oddly similar to that of Josh Jacobs and Nick Chubb for robustness and explosiveness. And to Tony Pollard and Saquon Barkley for versatility, creativity and foot speed.
During the week of the draft, former recruiters and experts invited to various panels had such faith in his potential that some argued that Robinson could have a career comparable to that of LaDainian Tomlinson.
Nothing less.
back in time
Robinson will obviously be the envy of many fans when, caught between a soft drink and potato chips leaving their fingertips orange, they will have to choose him as running back.
With the excitement around the Falcons player, some will take the risk. If we can thus qualify his selection. Still, the few times running backs have garnered so much interest, they’ve been pretty effective in their draft season.
Because, ultimately, that’s where the doubt lies. Dominating in the college ranks is one thing. Doing it in the best league in the world is quite another.
PHOTO DALE ZANINE, ARCHIVES USA TODAY SPORTS
Bijan Robinson in training
However, several players in his position a few years ago have negotiated the transition well.
Since 2012, five running backs have been chosen between first and eighth in the NFL Draft.
Barkley, in 2018, had 11 rushing touchdowns and 1,307 rushing yards in 16 games.
Leonard Fournette, chosen fourth overall by the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2017, had 9 touchdowns and 1,040 rushing yards in 13 games.
Christian McCaffrey, drafted seventh overall by the Carolina Panthers in 2017, had two touchdowns and rushed for 435 yards in 16 games.
Ezekiel Elliott, selected fourth overall by the Dallas Cowboys in 2016, scored 15 touchdowns and rushed for 1,631 yards, an NFL high that year, in 15 games.
Finally, Trent Richardson, drafted by the Cleveland Browns in third place in 2012, had accumulated 11 touchdowns and 950 yards in 15 games.
Now the ball is in Robinson’s court. It remains to be seen if he will be able to meet the expectations and if he will be able to allay the worries of the millions of Sunday general managers who will have chosen him, for better or for worse.
* Forecast as of August 16, 2023
2023-08-17 04:59:40
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