Atlanta Falcons Draft Texas RB Bijan Robinson 8th Overall

The debate over Texas Longhorns running back Bijan Robinson's draft status had a lot less to do with his talent and more about the inherent positional value that early-round running backs return to their NFL squads.

Ultimately, Robinson was selected eight overall by the Atlanta Falcons in the 2023 NFL Draft.

The NFL Draft betting odds at FanDuel Sportsbook had Robinson's over/under set at 12.5 with -250 odds on the under leading into the draft. The Falcons (+210) were also his most likely landing place.

Bijan Robinson NFL Draft Profile

Robinson's talent is pretty transcendent, as evidenced by, well, a lot of things.

Robinson forced 104 missed tackles last year, a nation-high, according to PFF.

He ultimately churned out 1,889 scrimmage yards and 18 rushing touchdowns last season at Texas.

Robinson also leads the running back class in production score and overall score for the class, according to the Next Gen Stats prospect model.

He ran a 4.46-second 40-yard dash to cap off a dominant profile.

Bijan Robinson Top Comparables

According to my NFL prospect database -- which accounts for production, size, draft capital, age, and more historically important variables -- here are Robinson's top five comparable players.

1. Marshawn Lynch - 92.8%
2. Breece Hall - 92.4%
3. Cam Akers - 90.9%
4. Knowshon Moreno - 90.3%
5. Jonathan Taylor - 89.5%

Bijan Robinson in Atlanta

The Falcons desperately needed some offensive firepower -- just maybe not at running back.

They were around the league average in points per game (21.5) and were actually a top-10 rushing offense by opponent-adjusted expected points per play, via numberFire's Net Expected Points model.

Undoubtedly, he'll emerge with a lead share over Tyler Allgeier and Cordarrelle Patterson, and we can only wait and see what level of impact he can make on the Falcons' franchise as a whole.

Atlanta Falcons 2023 Outlook

Via FanDuel Sportsbook's NFL odds, the Falcons' win total sits at 8.5 with -110 odds on the over for the 2023 season.

Their Super Bowl odds are firmly in long-shot territory (+6000), yet their playoff odds are pretty reasonable at +184 -- around 35%.

The above author is a FanDuel employee and is not eligible to compete in public daily fantasy contests or place sports betting wagers on FanDuel. The advice provided by the author does not necessarily represent the views of FanDuel. Taking the author’s advice will not guarantee a successful outcome. You should use your own judgment when participating in daily fantasy contests or placing sports wagers.