'Easy': Why Falcons Drafted Bijan Robinson Over Jalen Carter, Christian Gonzalez
The Atlanta Falcons selected one of the premiere players in the 2023 NFL Draft in Texas standout Bijan Robinson.
But as is the case with the No. 8 overall pick, the Falcons were forced to pass on other highly touted prospects, such as Georgia's Jalen Carter (drafted one pick later by the Chicago Bears) and Oregon's Christian Gonzalez (taken by the New England Patriots at No. 17 overall).
The argument surrounding Atlanta's decision has less to do with player value and more to do with positional value, as some have opposed the idea of drafting Robinson, a running back, in the top-10, whereas Gonzalez (cornerback) and Carter (defensive tackle) play positions viewed more valuably around the league - just look at the free agency market.
Falcons vice president of player personnel Kyle Smith directly dubbed this "conventional wisdom" for team building - but noted there are "a million ways" to go about formulating a winning roster.
For Atlanta, the idea of positional value overruling all else hasn't been the case under general manager Terry Fontenot and coach Arthur Smith ... and according to Kyle Smith, likely never will be.
“Whatever position it is - 'you can’t take a guard in the top 15' - well, who’s the guard?" Smith said. "You should take a QB in the top 10, take one in the top 5 or top 10, if you’re ever there. Well, who is it? That’s the question.
“That’s what we always go back to. That’s what Bijan or any of the player that we’ve taken, the 'who' is what we believed in and feel really good about.”
And really, the latter part truly made the difference for the Falcons - putting Robinson through a private workout in Austin offered a glimpse of his character, and Atlanta liked what it saw.
Arthur Smith noted that Robinson isn't some Instagram or social media star; he's genuine, down to earth and personable. Another key component is that he'll arrive in Atlanta with no concerns, be it injury, off-field or skill set related.
The same can't entirely be said for Carter, who faced multiple misdemeanor charges that caused "hesitancy" for the Falcons, nor Gonzalez, who some teams (like the Pittsburgh Steelers) felt lacked a high-level competitive edge, which doesn't fit the culture Fontenot and Smith are trying to build.
Thus, for the Falcons, picking the clean, high-character, early impact player in Robinson simply made the most sense - and established a notable precedent to monitor in years to come.
“The thing that we focus on the most is that 'it ain’t about what, it’s about who,'" Kyle Smith said. "When it comes to Bijan, the player, the skill set, the versatility, the impact as a player and as a person, it was an easy pick. It really was.
"The amount of work that went into it, the conviction that we had from Day 1 to right on the clock, it was an easy pick.”
And while some may ultimately disagree with the decision, it's easy to see the thought process behind it. Now, the fun begins ... and the final answer on whether the Falcons went the right direction will be in soon enough.
You can follow Daniel Flick on Twitter @DFlickDraft
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