Bijan Robinson 'Worst' Falcons Draft Pick?

The Atlanta Falcons received some positive and negative critiques for taking Bijan Robinson with the No. 8 overall pick.

Jeremy Brener | May 6, 2023

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Atlanta Falcons

The Atlanta Falcons are taking a massive risk by selecting Bijan Robinson with the No. 8 overall pick in the NFL Draft.

For a team that didn't need a running back, the Falcons took Robinson and ignored other pressing needs with their first pick.

Despite being the player with the most potential among the Falcons rookie class, CBS Sports believes Robinson is the worst pick Atlanta made during the draft.

"This is way too high for a back, even if he's a really good player. Backs don't decide Super Bowls," CBS Sports writes. "I know Arthur Smith loves backs, but this is a deep draft of backs and history isn't kind to this type of move. I don't like it because of position value. Good player, bad position."

CBS Sports isn't alone in criticizing the Robinson pick. ESPN also believes the Falcons didn't make the smartest choice in taking the Texas standout.

"Look, Robinson is a tremendous prospect," ESPN writes. "He might win Rookie of the Year in Arthur's Smith's offense. But the Falcons could get 90% of his production from Allgeier and a couple of Day 3 options. Smith said Thursday night that Robinson is 'a lot more than a running back,' but that doesn't make this a good selection. They could have gone with cornerback Christian Gonzalez or defensive tackle Jalen Carter or edge rusher Nolan Smith and gotten better value."

Ultimately, the Falcons' choice to take Robinson over other players like Carter, Gonzalez or Smith will be determined as a good or bad move based on the team's success this season. Should the Falcons break their playoff drought and Robinson performs well, Atlanta's decision will be praised. But if the team continues to remain stagnant or regresses, the decision to take Robinson will be seen as a scapegoat.

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Published May 6, 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.