Falcons Taking RB Bijan Robinson Biggest NFL Draft Surprise?

Bijan Robinson was the subject of one of the biggest NFL Draft surprises after the Atlanta Falcons picked him No. 8 overall.

Jeremy Brener | May 1, 2023

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Atlanta Falcons

The Atlanta Falcons were linked to Texas running back Bijan Robinson before the NFL Draft, but many didn't think that the team would pull the trigger on taking him with several other needs across the board.

However, the Falcons surprised many by taking Robinson with the No. 8 overall pick. The move ranked No. 9 on Bleacher Report's list of biggest draft surprises.

"It was still surprising to see the Falcons be the team to take the plunge," Bleacher Report writes. "Because they are fixing something that wasn't broken."

The Falcons' rushing attack was far from broken in 2022, running for the third-most yards in the NFL in a backfield led by Tyler Allgeier, who set the rookie record for rushing yards in a season.

Despite Allgeier's success, it didn't stop the Falcons from taking Robinson with their first pick, despite having the 27th-best defense in the league.

"The Falcons badly needed help on the edge, more passing game weapons and improvements to a secondary that allowed the eighth-most passing yards in 2022," Bleacher Report writes. "Oh, and the quarterback situation is a massive question mark."

Eventually, the Falcons addressed help on defense and the secondary in the middle of the draft by taking Ohio State EDGE Zach Harrison and Utah cornerback Clark Phillips III, but Atlanta could look back on this draft as a missed opportunity if the defense doesn't improve.

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Published May 1, 2023

JEREMY BRENER

Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several Fan Nation websites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener has been with Fan Nation since 2021. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid. He moved to Orlando in 2016 to go to college and pursue a degree. He hosts "The Dream Take" podcast covering the Rockets, which has produced over 350 episodes since March 2020. Brener graduated in May 2020 from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. While at UCF, Brener worked for the school's newspaper NSM.today and "Hitting the Field," a student-run sports talk show and network. He was the executive producer for "Hitting the Field" from 2019-20. During his professional career, Brener has covered a number of major sporting events including the Pro Bowl, March Madness and several NBA and NFL games. As a fan, Brener has been to the 2005 World Series, 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 NCAA National Championship between the Villanova Wildcats and North Carolina Tar Heels. Now, Brener still resides in the Central Florida area and enjoys writing, watching TV, hanging out with friends and going to the gym. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener. For more inquiries, please email jeremybrenerchs@gmail.com.