FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga.– Bijan Robinson is hoping he is not the outlier, however rather the start of a brand-new pattern.
When the Atlanta Falcons chosen Robinson with the No. 8 general choice in the NFL draft Thursday night, the previous Texas star ended up being the very first running back prepared the leading 10 because Saquon Barkley went No. 2 general in 2018.
Robinson and Detroit Lions choice Jahmyr Gibbs (No. 12 general) ended up being the very first duo of running backs chosen in the leading 15 because 2017, when Leonard Fournette went No. 4 to Jacksonville and Christian McCaffrey was taken No. 8 by Carolina.
It had actually been a while, and Robinson wishes to make certain it will not be another 6 drafts up until it takes place once again.
” I understand the running back position in the leading 10 is actually, actually unusual,” Robinson stated Friday. “However I imply, it’s quite cool to be a man that can share that and to reveal the more youthful kids in the college football, the more youthful running backs, that it’s possible– you simply got to do whatever the proper way and simply be as efficient as you can for their program.”
Running backs prepared inside the leading 10 have actually ended up being unusual in the modern-day period of football. 2 running backs going inside the leading 15 has actually been a bit more typical, as this marks the 8th time it has actually taken place because 2000. The most noteworthy duos might be the Fournette-McCaffrey mix and in 2007, when Adrian Peterson went No. 7 to Minnesota and Marshawn Lynch was chosen 12th by Buffalo.
3 running backs have actually been prepared inside the leading 15 on 2 celebrations because 2000: in 2005, Ronnie Brown (No. 2, Miami), Cedric Benson (No. 4, Chicago) and Cadillac Williams (No. 5, Tampa Bay); and in 2000, Jamal Lewis (No. 5, Baltimore), Thomas Jones (No. 7, Arizona) and Ron Dayne (No. 11, Giants).
However as the NFL has actually moved progressively towards passing as its offending focus, the top-10 running back has actually appeared to nearly vanish.
Robinson thinks he and Gibbs might “definitely” be the start of a shift back towards valuing the position more. In their case, they had other things in typical, as both were coached by Tashard Option– Gibbs at Georgia Tech prior to he moved to Alabama, and Robinson at Texas.
” Our video games are type of comparable, and you can line us up anywhere on the field and be simply an inequality as we are at the running back position,” Robinson stated. “I see that’s where the running back position is being valued now. That’s where I believe it’s going to be headed.”
Robinson had 1,580 hurrying backyards and 314 getting backyards for 20 overall goals last season at Texas, while Gibbs had 926 backyards hurrying backyards and 444 getting backyards for 10 overall TDs at Alabama.
Falcons coach Arthur Smith stated Thursday night that he saw Robinson not as a running back however as a high-impact gamer. Lions basic supervisor Brad Holmes stated Detroit put Gibbs “in his own different box” in regards to how the company examined him.
Gibbs likewise kept in mind Thursday that he was “stunned” to be selected as high as he was, in part due to the fact that of the history of running backs in the draft.
” I didn’t understand I would get chosen as high as I did,” Gibbs stated. “Running backs do not get chosen as high in this brand-new age and brand-new period of the NFL draft. However it was quite stunning to me.”
ESPN’s Eric Woodyard added to this report.