Atlanta Falcons RB Bijan Robinson Compared to NBA Legend Allen Iverson
Four games into his NFL career, Atlanta Falcons rookie running back Bijan Robinson is already showing that he's one of the most unique talents in the league while proving he was deserving of being the No. 8 overall selection in April's draft.
In Sunday's 23-7 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars in London, Robinson posted the second 100-yard rushing game of his young career with 14 carries for 105 yards, which was highlighted by a career-long 38-yard run.
But it's the work that Robinson did as a receiver that continues to catch the attention of coach Arthur Smith, who had an interesting cross-sport comparison for the rookie when talking about special is play-making has been early on.
“When you’ve got a player like Bijan, that is friendly to the quarterback – pick your poison. You want to bail out of there? Got a guy underneath. You can get 1-on-1s. He looks like Allen Iverson with the ball in his hands sometimes," Smith said. "That helps convert some third downs, but we have to be more consistent there.”
Atlanta Falcons running back Bijan Robinson (7) carries the ball against Jacksonville Jaguars cornerback Darious Williams (31) in the second half during an NFL International Series game
© Kirby Lee, USA TODAY
It can be tough to pin an NFL running back against an NBA guard, but Smith's comparison could've certainly been worse. Iverson, a Hall of Famer that has 11 All-Star appearances, four scoring titles and a league MVP to his name, wowed fans with his special ability during his long professional career.
He was constantly freezing defenders with an elite crossover, similar to how Robinson has been able to make people miss in the open field before leaving them in the dust on a few occasions this season. This was especially evident against the Jags, as he caught all five of his targets for 32 yards while making some sweet juke moves after the catch to turn no gains into positive ones.
Robinson might not be able to dribble the football and cross defenders like Iverson did, but he has his own special play style that certainly has the early makings of being Hall of Famer, just like A.I.
Robinson and the Falcons host the Houston Texans on Sunday at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
