Eagles EXCLUSIVE: Bijan Robinson an Outlier for Philly in NFL Draft? Scout Weighs In

Talented Texas Longhorns running back Bijan Robinson is one of the few true blue-chip players in the upcoming draft, according to former Titans director of college scouting Blake Beddingfield. Could the Philadelphia Eagles snag him at No. 10?

For Philadelphia Eagles fans, the lure of Texas Longhorns running back Bijan Robinson at No. 10 overall in April's draft is almost intoxicating.

Sizzle almost always beats steak when it comes to a wish list from outside the organization but for those who have been around general manager Howie Roseman, it's hard to even picture the well-regarded Eagles GM considering the running back position so high in the draft.

Philadelphia is built on a sturdy foundation tied to a default setting up front on both sides of the football. The steak with the Eagles is perhaps the best offensive line in the NFL and the deep defensive line that comes at you in waves and helped produce 70 sacks in 2022-23, a franchise record and the third-best mark in league history.

Complicating matters with the Robinson projection for Roseman and his staff is that he's both the sizzle and steak.

"I think he's a top-five player in this draft as a talent," former Tennessee Titans director of college scouting Blake Beddingfield told SI.com's Eagles Today via the BIRDS 365 Show on JAKIB Sports.

Beddingfield, who spent nearly two decades with Tennessee, is just the latest scout talked with by Eagles Today, who tabbed the top of the 2023 draft or true "blue-chip" players at anywhere between six and eight players. Most of them -- Biddingfield does put Alabama signal caller Bryce Young on his list-- in that category are non-quarterbacks.

Because of the value of that position, however, as many as four non-quarterbacks could go into the top nine when you add in Ohio State's C.J. Stroud, the odds-on favorite to go No. 1 overall to Carolina, Young, Florida's Anthony Richardson, and Kentucky's Will Levis.

If that scenario unfolds, the likelihood that tha reigning NFC champions get a true blue-chip prospect at No. 10 increases.

The discussion with Beddingfield was also interesting because he brought up the fifth-year option of first-round picks, something Roseman sees value in but only at certain positions.

"When you're talking about where Philadelphia is picking you're creating value with that player," Beddingfield said. "You're not only creating value now but you're creating value in that fifth-year option potential when you start selecting in that top-10 range.

"You've got to create the value if you're taking a safety or if you're taking a player where you got to overpay them in that fifth-year option you're not really going to get value in that last year."

That also defines running back, but Robinson fends that off as a projected three-down player. This isn't Miles Sanders as a lead back where you need to find the third-down and hurry-up option as a receiver and a pass protector.

"That's one piece of it. Bijan as a player is a three-down player," Beddingfield said. "He has outstanding contact balance. When I look at running backs now, speed, vision sure [you need to have it]. What's your balance on contact? Can you maintain your run game? Can you maintain your run style? Can you get yards after contact because you're going to see it in the league very early.

"I don't care what offensive line you have. You've got to be able to run through tackles. {Robinson] can do that. He also can be a receiver out of the backfield and he's pretty adept at pass protection, which is something you want to see in the Eagles offense with the outstanding receivers that they have."

It remains a longshot that the Eagles think RB at No. 10 overall and the organization as a whole hasn't jumped at the position since Keith Byars, ironically at No. 10 overall in 1986, 14 years before Roseman even arrived as an intern.

The context that's lost is the outliers.

In 2017, a team source confirmed that the Eagles were ready to pull the trigger on Christian McCaffrey at No. 14 overall but the two-time All-Pro and now-San Francisco star was out of the mix by No. 8 to Carolina.

McCaffrey, like Beddingfield's evaluation of Robinson, rose above the crowd as a three-down player.

"I like Bijan a little bit like [Cleveland's} Nick Chubb and I think he's going to be a very good player in the league and he's going to be a very productive player," the former Titans exec said. "You put him on an offense like the Philadelphia Eagles, one that has a lot of pieces in place and an outstanding offensive line. He could have a very good rookie year and really help out Jalen Hurts as he continues to develop and progress."

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-John McMullen contributes Eagles coverage for SI.com's Eagles Today and is the NFL Insider for JAKIB Media. You can listen to John, alongside legendary sports-talk host Jody McDonald every morning from 8-10 on ‘Birds 365,” streaming live on YouTube. John is also the host of his own show "Football 24/7 and a daily contributor to ESPN South Jersey. You can reach him at jmcmullen44@gmail.com or on Twitter @JFMcMullen