NFL Draft Grades: Falcons Get Mixed Reviews for Bijan Robinson Pick

Were the Atlanta Falcons smart to draft Bijan Robinson? It depends who you ask.

While there were quite a few contenders hopeful that running back Bijan Robinson would fall to them in the 2023 NFL Draft, the Atlanta Falcons didn't allow the talented halfback to get by them with the No. 8 selection. 

Just about everyone you talk to loves Robinson's talent, but there are, of course, mixed views on using a top-10 pick on any running back. There's also the possibility that if Robinson realizes his potential but Desmond Ridder doesn't prove to be Atlanta's franchise quarterback, the Falcons will have a difficult time landing a high enough pick to draft an alternative. 

And so, experts are split on whether Robinson was a good pick by Terry Fontenot, Arthur Smith and the Falcons. 

Chad Reuter of NFL Media: A-

Reuter isn't immune to the argument that No. 8 is too high to take a running back, but he simply notes that Robinson, Drake London, Kyle Pitts and Tyler Allgeier are an exciting young nucleus of skill-position talent for Atlanta. 

Joseph Acosta of SB Nation: B

If you dive into Acosta's analysis, it appears he would have preferred the Falcons take cornerback Cristian Gonzalez, who ultimately became a New England Patriot. Still, he's high on the effect Robinson will have both as a rusher and a pass catcher. 

Vinnie Iyer of Sporting News: C

Iyer believes Smith -- the former offensive coordinator of the Tennessee Titans -- is "trying to recreate the Derrick Henry-heavy success" he had that got him a head coaching job in the first place. While he likes Robinson, Iyer calls his selection "a luxury pick," something a team that went 7-10 a year ago couldn't afford in his estimation.

Pete Prisco of CBS Sports: D

Prisco is short and sweet with his analysis saying "Good player, bad position." Essentially, the argument is that running back isn't a position worth investing such a high pick in, given the short shelf life at the position and how easy it seems to be to find talented backs later in the NFL Draft. 

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