Studying Needed? Falcons Front Office Reveals New Bijan Robinson Secret
Based on recent statements from Atlanta Falcons head coach Arthur Smith and the team’s general manager, Terry Fontenot, running back Bijan Robinson has already been living up to his top-10 draft pedigree.
When the Falcons selected Robinson with the No. 8 overall pick, many questioned the decision to invest such lucrative draft capital in a position where players have been deemed interchangeable.
Look no further than the current trade rumors surrounding Indianapolis Colts All-Pro running back Jonathan Taylor as a prime example of how most of the league views rushers. However, Atlanta isn’t a standard NFL organization, and Robinson isn’t your typical running back.
“There’s nobody else that’s going to be like Bijan Robinson either,” Smith said. “They’re all different, but there are things you can learn. Okay, how did he handle this look on coverage or whatever it is? I think more than anything it says to his mindset being an active learner, and that’s what you like about him.”
Many know Robinson as the physical freak of nature that could bowl over defenders while playing at the University of Texas. It now seems he’s just as dedicated to the film room as the weight room, an underrated aspect of being a professional.
“Maturity is a really good word to use for him because he is,” Fontenot said. “He’s a true professional already, just the way he handles himself. We put a lot on these rookies’ plates, a lot on all these player’s plates, but the rookies, it’s a transition, and there’s a lot they have going on, a lot in their heads, and yet we put a lot on them. Bijan’s doing a lot of different things for us, and it’s taxing, but he’s handled everything so well. He’s just even and consistent, he always has that million-dollar smile on his face, and so, we appreciate Bijan, and maturity is a good word to describe him.”
Robinson is the first running back selected in the top 10 picks since Saquon Barkley, a player capable of impacting all four downs if given the opportunity, something the Falcons have also teased Robinson might do in training camp.
Although all rookies face growing pains in their first season, Robinson’s maturity and ability to learn, especially early in training camp, could pay dividends as he looks to join former Dallas Cowboys rusher Ezekiel Elliott and become the second running back since 2000 to become an All-Pro.
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