NEWSLETTER
The Atlanta Falcons and rookie running back Bijan Robinson have made it official today, agreeing to a rookie deal worth nearly $22 million this evening. Ian Rapoport says Robinson’s deal is for four years and worth $21.96 million. It includes a fifth-year option for the Falcons.
The Falcons defied modern-day NFL trends when they selected Robinson with the eighth overall pick in the NFL Draft last month. The Falcons became the first team to draft a running back inside the top-10 picks of the NFL Draft since the New York Giants selected Saquon Barkley in 2018. Not only has it been five years since the Giants took Barkley in the top 10, but we have yet to see a running back selected inside the top 20 since. In fact, only four running backs have been inside the first round since 2018.
Robinson spoke to that in his introductory presser after he was selected on April 27 in Kansas City:
“Obviously, Saquon [Barkley] was the last one to do it. It’s been some years since it’s happened again but the guys in those positions, I think they’ve done great for their teams and for their programs. For me, I’m just trying to be a piece here, trying to build relationships and trying to do so many things that I can for the teams and gain respect for all my teammates. Learn to do what they’ve done successfully in their careers. I know the running back position in the top 10 is really rare but it’s really cool to be a guy that can share that and to show the younger kids in college football—the younger running backs in college football that it’s possible. You just have to do everything the right way and be as effective as you can for their program.”
Robinson racked up 3,410 rushing yards, 805 receiving yards and scored 41 touchdowns in a three-year career at Texas. He was the fifth-best prospect in the draft according to Dane Brugler and many other draft experts.
Kyle Smith said that the Falcons were drafting for the “who,” not “what” with the Bijan Robinson selection last month:
“There are a million ways to do it. The thing that we focus on the most is, ‘It ain’t about what, it’s about who,” Falcons director of player personnel Kyle Smith said on Wednesday. “When it comes to Bijan (Robinson), the player, the skill set, the versatility, the impact as a player and a person, it was an easy pick, man. It really was.”
You can read more about the Falcons selection of Bijan Robinson in my story from last week:
