How Kyle Pitts, Drake London Will Help Bijan Robinson's Falcons Transition
It's been just over two weeks since running back Bijan Robinson became the Atlanta Falcons' first-round draft pick, but lofty expectations wait for nobody.
Seemingly from the moment he was selected at No. 8 overall, Robinson was thrust onto the short list of favorites for offensive rookie of the year. Elsewhere, the idea of the former Texas star breaking 2,000 all-purpose yards has been floated.
This is largely just the tip of the iceberg for Robinson, who's been touted as the best running back prospect since now-New York Giants star Saquon Barkley and has already appeared on promotional ads for Falcons games.
By all accounts, Robinson's taken Atlanta by storm and has been near-unanimously praised entering his rookie season. It's been difficult to not see this ... that is, for everyone except for Robinson.
"I don't pay attention to it," Robinson said. "It's really easy for me to just not pay attention to that stuff."
That being said, Robinson knows the standard that's been set, and he's not running from it - if anything, the biggest expectations have come from himself.
But it's still a lot to handle for a 21-year-old, even if his words and maturity come across as someone much more seasoned. Fortunately for Robinson, he's entering a situation where two others have thrived before him.
In 2021, the Falcons made Kyle Pitts the highest-drafted tight end in NFL history, using the No. 4 overall pick on him. Like Robinson, Pitts was viewed as a "unicorn" talent, someone too good to pass up even if the idea of positional value was against it.
Pitts responded by posting 1,026 receiving yards, the second-most by a rookie tight end in league history, and earning a Pro Bowl nod. He also broke Atlanta's franchise record for receptions by a rookie with 68.
The year after, the Falcons selected Drake London at No. 8, making him the first receiver off the board - in front of a plethora of standout wideouts, including the Ohio State duo of Garrett Wilson and Chris Olave, which led some to question whether the USC star was the right value.
London's answer? To break Pitts' record, logging 72 receptions for 866 yards and four scores while starring during the season's final month.
The clear talent, the public doubt, the high expectations, and ultimately, the production - a clear theme for the selections of Pitts and London ... and thus far, Robinson has followed the same career arc.
The similarities are something Falcons coach Arthur Smith pointed out at minicamp, discussing the importance of integrating rookies into his team's culture.
Smith believes there's a strong foundation already built but noted he spends "a good amount of time" in team meetings furthering the culture. Naturally, the early stages of bringing in rookies only heightens the focus on drilling home specific points.
However, per Smith, greatest value is found when "all of us in that locker room" - be it players or other coaches - are adding to the lessons being taught ... and for Robinson, there are already two Falcons who've stood in his shoes and thrived.
"Kyle and Drake know what it's like to be a top rookie with a lot of weight and expectations and there's things they can help Bijan with," Smith said. "And leadership, when it rolls down and guys can teach each other, you're in a good spot - I feel that's where we're at right now."
The focus at this stage is learning the habits and understanding what the Smith-led Falcons embody, which London and Pitts are qualified are teach having already been in the program.
In essence, things are now set up for two of Atlanta's brightest young stars to help bring along the next-in-line, creating a highly talented group characterized by the same intangible qualities and drive to succeed.
Robinson has yet to take the field with London and Pitts, but it doesn't really matter - he's seen what they've done and knows he wants to follow suit; there's already a high degree of mutual respect and he's committed to embracing the understudy role this summer.
"I think it's pretty cool because Drake and Kyle, those are two great players for the team, for the NFL," Robinson said. "They do things the right way at their positions, so hopefully I can learn from them in practices and even off the field, see how they're successful in their games so I can become as successful in mine."
There's another element at play within Atlanta's young stars; not a "what," but a "who" - running back Tyler Allgeier, fresh off breaking the franchise record for rookie rushing yards with 1,035.
Apart from there being a defined mark for Robinson to hit should he replicate Pitts and London in setting new franchise records, Allgeier's in line to get a handful of carries each game ... and it's something both he and Robinson expect to thrive with.
The duo FaceTimed post-draft and Robinson has done nothing but praise Allgeier, calling him a "dog" while adding he thinks there's a lot he can learn from the second-year pro. Like Pitts and London, Allgeier is a highly talented, high-character individual who's performed at a high level as a rookie, making him a strong sounding board for Robinson.
This quartet is one of several reasons for increased optimism around both the present and future of Falcons football; there's a belief that the star-studded young core can help take the franchise to new heights, in part because it's clear each player is wired the right way.
Consider Robinson, who will enter his rookie year with those aforementioned sky-high expectations ... and rather than being consumed by them, is laser focused on improving himself for the betterment of the team come this fall.
"I know that God has a plan for me, and if it's to do those kinds of things, that's what I'm going to do," said Robinson. "But I do know I'm going to work as hard as I can to be the best football player, best teammate I can be and obviously get everything down the right way, when it comes to the playbook and my assignments, knowing what I'm supposed to do.
"And after that, hopefully those kinds of things will be in my life."
To date, the only Falcon to take home offensive rookie of the year honors is quarterback Matt Ryan in 2008. It's certainly possible that Robinson becomes the next, even if the idea isn't close to the forefront of his mind.
Instead, what occupies Robinson is improvement and building on a star-studded college career that ended with unanimous All-American honors and the Doak Walker Award trophy. But those are individual, not team, accomplishments - and he's ready for more.
Better yet, Robinson has a clear path to realizing all he's set out to do (and even those he hasn't); just look at the road that's been cleared by Pitts and repaved by London.
So, expectations? Sure. But the recipe's already there, and so is the environment - now, it just comes down to Robinson doing what he does best: be himself, on and off the field.
You can follow Daniel Flick on Twitter @DFlickDraft
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