Going into day one of the 2023 NFL Draft, much of the buzz surrounded quarterbacks Bryce Young, C.J. Stroud, and Anthony Richardson, who went in the first four picks.
But another big name was Bijan Robinson, the talented running back from the University of Texas.
Robinson ended up going a little higher than some expected, as he was the No. 8 selection by the Atlanta Falcons.
It marks a full-circle journey for him, as he also wore No. 8 in a Falcons jersey as a youngster.
As a child, Bijan Robinson wore No. 8 for the Falcons.
Years later, he’s drafted No. 8 BY the Falcons 🙌
(📸 @LonghornNetwork) pic.twitter.com/tXYu4gH0jS
— NFL on CBS 🏈 (@NFLonCBS) April 28, 2023
Robinson was prolific in his final season with the Texas Longhorns, running for 1,580 yards and 18 touchdowns while averaging 6.1 yards per carry.
He will now join a Falcons team that is looking to establish something positive a year after trading away franchise quarterback Matt Ryan, who had taken them to the brink of a Super Bowl championship in the 2016 season.
They may not have a top-level QB right now, but they do have Drake London, a stud wide receiver who had 866 yards and four touchdowns as a rookie last season.
Atlanta also brought in wideout Mack Hollins, who posted 690 yards and four touchdowns for the Las Vegas Raiders last season.
Tight end Kyle Pitts currently wears No. 8 for the Falcons, so Robinson will not be able to fully manifest the image of him wearing a Falcons jersey as a kid — he will have to wear a different number.
But he will become a major piece of the team’s rebuilding process and its attempt to return to the NFL playoffs for the first time since 2017.
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