Falcons RB Bijan Robinson 'Not a Good Selection,' Says Mel Kiper Jr.
The Atlanta Falcons are turning heads after leaving the 2023 NFL Draft with running back Bijan Robinson as their first-round pick.
For a team that finished third in the league in rushing last season, Robinson could be viewed as a "luxury pick." However, the team targeted best player available instead of need. That's why Mel Kiper Jr. gave the Falcons a "B-" for his draft class grades.
"Look, Robinson is a tremendous prospect," ESPN writes. "He might win Rookie of the Year in Arthur's Smith's offense. But the Falcons could get 90% of his production from Allgeier and a couple of Day 3 options. Smith said Thursday night that Robinson is 'a lot more than a running back,' but that doesn't make this a good selection. They could have gone with cornerback Christian Gonzalez or defensive tackle Jalen Carter or edge rusher Nolan Smith and gotten better value."
Outside of the Robinson pick, Kiper felt the Falcons did a good job in the second round by trading up six spots to select Syracuse offensive lineman Matthew Bergeron. However, he feels like the team failed to address the pass rush enough and that third-round pick Zach Harrison isn't enough to completely fill the need.
Had the Falcons taken a pass rusher instead of Robinson, maybe he'd feel different, but then Atlanta wouldn't have its potentially generational running back.
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