The Evolution of Bijan Robinson, Who Still has Room for Improvement

Atlanta Falcons running back Bijan Robinson is already one of the best players in the league, and there's still room for more.

Atlanta Falcons running back Bijan Robinson is arguably the best at his position in the NFL. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Entering just his fourth season with the Atlanta Falcons, Bijan Robinson is already arguably the best running back in the league. Coming off an All-Pro season, the former eighth overall pick officially made the jump to superstar status. So, how did Robinson evolve into what he is today, or was he always bound for success? 

In short, Robinson has always had the talent. A five-star recruit out of high school, he was ranked 21st in the country and was the number one running back after a standout career at Salpointe Catholic High School. 

Bijan Robinson was a 5-Star running back coming out of high school, and he lived up to the hype. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

The scouting report on Robinson had him as a candidate to immediately contribute in college and be a potential first-round pick. However, plenty of young, talented players have received high praise and never lived up to it, but Robinson never stopped working. 

He was, in fact, an immediate contributor but was splitting carries with Roschon Johnson. In his freshman season, he carried the ball 86 times for 703 yards and four touchdowns. He did lead the conference in yards per attempt with 8.2, but he knew he still had room to grow. 

The following two seasons, Robinson bumped his yardage totals by 400 in both years and finished his senior year as a unanimous All-American and won the Doak Walker Award for being the nation's best running back. He finished his senior year with almost 1,900 total yards and 20 touchdowns. 

Coming into the 2023 NFL Draft, Robinson was once again a highly sought-after prospect and had a first-round grade with plenty of potential. This was enough for the Atlanta Falcons to select him with the eighth overall pick despite drafting Tyler Allgeier the year prior, who went for 1,000 rushing yards in his rookie campaign. 

In his first season, Robinson was 10th in scrimmage yards with 1,463 and eight touchdowns, carrying the ball 214 times for 976 yards and four touchdowns. He was still splitting carries with Allgeier, who had 186 carries that season. 

However, what set Robinson apart in his rookie season was his evolution as a pass catcher. He had shown flashes of the ability while in college, but only had 60 career receptions over his three years. He nearly matched his collegiate career total with 58 catches for 487 and four touchdowns in his rookie season. 

Robinson also filled the highlight reel during his rookie season and had people excited for what he could do in the future. 

The Arizona native did not disappoint. He came into himself in the ground game in year two, rushing for 1,456 yards and 14 touchdowns, and added another 61 catches for 431 yards to earn his first Pro Bowl nod. 

However, Robinson wasn’t done there. He continued to get better by improving his efficiency on the ground and once again making a huge jump as a pass catcher. In year three, Robinson led the league with 2,298 scrimmage yards. Averaging over five yards a carry on his way to 1,478 yards and nearly doubled his career high in receiving yards with 79 receptions for 820 yards. 

Now an established superstar in the league, Robinson will certainly look to continue growing. But what parts of his game are there even to improve? 

For one, his ball security. Robinson tied his career high with four fumbles last season, and has nine in his three-year career, with a few of them coming in really bad spots. This is definitely a part of Robinson's game that he will be looking to shore up. 

Another minor thing Robinson could look to improve, especially with a new coaching staff, is his touchdown numbers. After a 15-touchdown campaign in his second year, his numbers dropped back down to 11 last season. This is still a respectable number, but with Allgeier not there to take away any goal-line carries, Robinson will certainly be looking to raise those touchdown numbers. This bodes well for fantasy football owners.

Heading into year four with a new coaching staff and with a massive contract extension looming, Robinson is once again poised for a big season filled with plenty of highlight-reel material. 

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