Atlanta Falcons get Bijan Robinson with No. 8 pick in NFL draft
The Atlanta Falcons bolstered one of the best ground attacks in the NFL, taking Texas running back Bijan Robinson with the eighth overall pick in the NFL draft on Thursday night.
Robinson, 21, is the first running back to be taken in the top 10 since the New York Giants' Saquon Barkley, who went second overall in the 2018 draft.
"I understand the running back position has been looked at as a less-than position, but for me it's a blessing that I can get these guys, even that are in college now, running backs, seen and looked at the right way," Robinson said. "And obviously for me, being a guy that can play running back, play receiver, be really versatile and to get an opportunity to do the same thing is definitely a blessing and I'm happy to share with those guys as well."
Robinson joins a Falcons team that ranked third in the league last season with 159.9 rushing yards per game. No team recorded a higher designed rush percentage than the Falcons last season, at 51%, according to ESPN Stats & Information research.
Tyler Allgeier led Atlanta with 1,035 yards and three touchdowns as a rookie last season, while Cordarrelle Patterson had a team-high eight rushing touchdowns.
"Obviously the offense is really good, with really good talent, and for me, I just want to be a piece in that offense, man, do as much as I can no matter where they line me up at," Robinson said. "I know that the rushing attack is really, really good with a really good running back already, and I just want to go in there and learn from him and be a good teammate and hopefully we can make something special happen."
At Texas last season, Robinson won the Doak Walker Award as the nation's top running back and was a unanimous first-team All-American after rushing for 1,580 yards on 258 carries with 18 touchdowns.
It's the third straight year Atlanta has taken an offensive skill position player in the first round after drafting tight end Kyle Pitts at No. 4 in 2021 and receiver Drake London at No. 8 last season.
With Robinson added to the fold, the Falcons have high-level talent on rookie contracts throughout their offense with quarterback Desmond Ridder (second year) as well as Allgeier (second year), Robinson (rookie), London (second year) and Pitts (third year) all in their first deals. The Falcons would also have potential fifth-year options on Pitts, London and Robinson if the time came.
Robinson is the first Longhorns player to go in the top 10 since 2006, when Vince Young and Michael Huff went in the first 10 picks after defeating USC for a national championship the season before.
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