Longhorns RB Bijan Robinson Draws Saquon Barkley Comparison
Texas Longhorns star runningback Bijan Robinson might be the next superstar ball carrier in the NFL.
And according to ESPN, he is currently the only running back prospect in the upcoming NFL Draft that has a first-round grade.
However, they also took it one step further, listing Robinson's NFL comparison to that of New York Giants superstar, Saquon Barkley.
Bijan Robinson, Texas (No. 5)
Comp: Saquon Barkley
Robinson is the total package as a running back prospect. He plays with amazing patience but can also lower his shoulder with a 220-pound frame and create space for himself. Robinson's contact balance and vision in traffic are some of the best I've ever seen. He rushed for 1,580 rushing yards and 18 TDs this season, and he's also a very good receiving threat out of the backfield (314 receiving yards). There are few players more talented than Robinson in this year's class.
Barkley and Robinson indeed do have their similarities.
However, Robinson might also have an edge of Barkley that ESPN doesn't talk about.
His durability.
In his three seasons at Texas, Robinson was a pillar of health for the Longhorns, with his only real injury coming at the end of the 2021 season - a dislocated elbow - that forced him to miss the team's final two games.
And in 2022, Robinson played all 12 regular season games, putting together one of the best seasons in school history along the way.
Barkley meanwhile, has played just two full seasons in his five-year career.
So, if an NFL franchise can get a player of Barkley's talent (or perhaps even greater) that can actually stay on the field, the sky could be the limit for the team that takes the chance.
You can follow Matt Galatzan on Twitter @MattGalatzan
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