This class is filled with talent and will bring great value to your dynasty squad for the foreseeable future. Dave Heilman (@DynastyDorks) and I (@FFBourbonDude) will discuss the following Running Backs, and if you’re interested in listening in to our initial pre-combine breakdowns, follow the links below.
Our pre-draft consensus rankings are as follows:
This write-up is about not only our consensus number-one running back in the 2023 rookie class but the world’s Texas Longhorn, Bijan Robinson. So let’s get into it.
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Bijan Robinson – NFL Rookie Draft and Dynasty Watch
Background
People were drooling over the 2019 Gatorade Arizona Player of the year, Bijan Robinson, even before he was coming out of high school. He was the number one overall running back recruit.
Bijan had offers to some powerhouses like his home state of Arizona, Oklahoma, and Alabama in 2017 and 2018 before his senior season of high school. He then visited some other schools like UCLA and Ohio State, along with Texas. Robinson chose Texas after coaches sold him on their ability to develop Ezekiel Elliott during their time at Ohio State.
He entered the college football scene with high hopes, and boy, did he fulfill those. He ended his freshman season on a tear with two games over 170 yards, and the chase for 2023 1.01 began.
Height – 6’0″
Weight – 220 pounds
College Career
A 5-star recruit who committed to Texas in 2019 after seemingly being a lock for Ohio State, Bijan appeared in 31 career games and amassed career numbers of 6.1 yards per carry (more than Saquon and Zeke), 206 missed forced tackles (more than Saquon and Zeke), over 4.2 yards after contact per attempt (more than Saquon and Zeke), and 75 receptions. He checks all the boxes and is the complete package.
| Att | Yds | TD | Rec | Yds | Rec TD | |
| 2020 | 86 | 703 | 4 | 15 | 196 | 2 |
| 2021 | 195 | 1,127 | 11 | 26 | 295 | 4 |
| 2022 | 258 | 1,580 | 18 | 19 | 314 | 2 |
RB Pros
Total Package
Bijan literally does everything, runs with agility, makes guys miss, powers through contact, pass blocks, and pass catches.
Elite Traits
Everything he does is at an elite level. We discussed earlier the metrics that prove this.
Rushing Ability
The vision and patience that Bijan can combine with his sheer athleticism make him a surefire hit in the NFL draft and, as many are saying, the best prospect since Saquon and Zeke.
Several NFL scouts reportedly believe Bijan Robinson is the “best” RB prospect since Saquon Barkley.
The Texas RB forced 104 missed tackles on rushing plays last season.
That’s 21 more than any other RB in this year’s Draft 😳 pic.twitter.com/vry7qNlLDo
— NFL Rookie Watch (@NFLRookieWatxh) February 9, 2023
RB Cons
Big 12
People will want to say coming from the Big 12; he didn’t play the same level of defense he will face in the NFL. What I say is neither did Adrian Peterson.
Speed
Look, he has the breakaway speed to have big runs. He won’t be a 4.3 or even likely a low 4.4 guy, but he has the size-adjusted speed to be a difference maker.
Regression
We did see some regression in metrics from his freshman to sophomore year, but he definitely put those to bed in his stellar junior season. In that sophomore season, he hit a pretty nasty slump to end the year, averaging 53 yards per game, 3.2 yards per carry, and only 1 TD over that span.
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