Falcons GM Reveals 'Paramount' Trait in RB Bijan Robinson Draft Decision

Atlanta Falcons general manager Terry Fontenot spoke on The Rich Eisen Show about his team's draft night decision to select running back Bijan Robinson.

There may not have been a bigger shock in the first-round of the NFL Draft than the Atlanta Falcons drafting running back Bijan Robinson at No. 8 overall.

While one can make an argument that the Houston Texans trading up to take outside linebacker Will Anderson at No. 3 or the Detroit Lions selecting running back Jahmyr Gibbs at No. 12 were more surprising, finding a mock draft with Atlanta selecting a running back was few and far between.

But as the draft unraveled, Falcons general manager Terry Fontenot had one mindset when put on the clock at No. 8: best player available. 

"We really didn't who was going to be there and who we were going to be staring at," Fontenot said on The Rich Eisen Show. "Once we got our pick, he was the top guy for us, and we were excited to take him."

To put it lightly, the reviews following the selection have been mixed, with the biggest argument being how early the Falcons drafted one of the most disposable positions in the league - but Fontenot made it clear that's now he and his staff view such decisions. 

"People can have these rules that you don't take a running back or a guard at a certain point you have to take a premium position," Fontenot said. "[Robinson] is an impact offensive player and wherever you get him the ball, he's a playmaker, he's a touchdown-maker, he's a homerun hitter and he's a better person than he is a player."

And despite finishing fourth all-time in Texas history with 3,410 rushing yards, being named a 2022 unanimous All-American and winning the Doak Walker Award for the nation's best running back, Robinson's morals is what stood out most to Atlanta's decision makers.

"The character is always going to be paramount when we're making any kind of player decision," Fontenot said. "If you look at the theme of our offseason, when you look at the free agents we signed, and as we get into the draft, when we're making a decision on a player, character is the most important thing.

"The thing we love about our team is they're unselfish. And the only stat that matters is wins, it's not about who gets the ball the most and who gets the most yards or touchdowns on this particular day."

Robinson will join a young offensive core consisting of quarterback Desmond Ridder, receiver Drake London, tight end Kyle Pitts and running backs Tyler Allgeier and Caleb Huntley.

And while this group is talented, it was their character that was ultimately "paramount" in the evaluation process that led them to Atlanta.

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Follow Riley Sheppard on Twitter @RileyDSheppard.

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