Longhorns Country

Bijan Robinson Reflects on Ohio State Recruiting Saga: 'Doesn't Feel Right'

Former Texas Longhorns running back Bijan Robinson recently told Micah Parsons about his notable recruiting experience with the Ohio State Buckeyes.

Jon Alfano

Nov 19, 2022; Lawrence, Kansas, USA; Texas Longhorns running back Bijan Robinson (5) runs the ball during the first half against the Kansas Jayhawks at David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images
Nov 19, 2022; Lawrence, Kansas, USA; Texas Longhorns running back Bijan Robinson (5) runs the ball during the first half against the Kansas Jayhawks at David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images / Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images
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As the top running back in the 2019 recruiting class, Bijan Robinson had no shortage of teams pining for his services.

In the end, he chose to join the Texas Longhorns, but it was far from an easy decision.

During an appearance on "The Edge with Micah Parsons" podcast, the former Longhorns superstar shared that he was actually very close to joining the Ohio State Buckeyes instead.

"I committed to Ohio State for a week," Robinson said. "It was me, C.J. [Stroud], Jaxon [Smith-Njigba]. After I signed, I committed there, like I called the coaches. Then like that next day I was like, 'This just doesn't feel right.' I started praying, and I just know God was telling me like, 'That's not the place for you. Ohio State's not it.'

"I knew Texas was like, the place I was supposed to be at, but I was really just going to Ohio State because it looked the best."

Bijan Robinso
Texas Longhorns running back Bijan Robinson (5) runs the ball down the sideline durinf the game against Texas Tech at Jones AT&T Stadium in Lubbock, Texas on Sept. 24, 2022. Aem Texas Vs Texas Tech 19 / Aaron Martinez/American-Statesman / USA TODAY NETWORK

According to 247Sports, Robinson made an official visit to Ohio State on June 14, 2019, but never verbally committed. He then made an official visit to Texas on June 21 of that same year, then committed a few weeks later on Aug. 2.

It would've been interesting to see what Robinson could've done with the Buckeyes, but he worked wonders with the Longhorns regardless. In three seasons at Texas, Robinson rushed for 3,410 yards and 33 touchdowns while averaging 6.3 yards per attempt, and he added 805 yards and eight touchdowns as a receiver. His final season was his best as he rushed for 1,850 yards and 18 touchdowns, earning unanimous All-American honors and winning the Doak Walker Award as the nation's top running back.

Now, Robinson is enjoying a strong start to his NFL career with the Atlanta Falcons, and just earned his first Pro Bowl selection. Who knows where he may have wound up if he went to Ohio State instead, but he's probably pretty happy with how his decision to go to Texas worked out.

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Jon Alfano
JON ALFANO

Jon is a lead writer for Baltimore Ravens On SI and contributes to other sites around the network as well. The Tampa native previously worked with sites such as ClutchPoints and GiveMeSport and earned his journalism degree at the University of Central Florida.

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