MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — The Falcons did not draft running back Bijan Robinson with the eighth overall pick for him to sit in the corner of the stands with the folks standing up, dancing and waving flags all game.
Robinson was drafted to help improve the offense, and to do that, he’s going need the ball in his hands.
Because of speed, size and shiftiness, Robinson, who’s 5-foot-11 and 215 pounds, has been compared with some of the NFL’s greatest hybrid running backs. Take a quick look at the rookie season workloads of Barry Sanders (1989, third overall, 5-8, 203), Marshall Faulk (1994, second overall, 5-11, 211), LaDainian Tomlinson (2001, fifth overall, 5-10, 215) and Saquon Barkley (2018, second overall, 6-0, 232):
All of those dynamic running backs had more than 300 touches (rushes/receptions) as rookies. Sanders, Faulk and Tomlinson have been enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, and Barkley is an active player.
Robinson believes he’s ready for a heavy workload.
“I think God wouldn’t put me in nothing that I couldn’t handle,” Robinson said Wednesday. “I think I’m handling it very well.”
Sanders rushed 280 times for 1,470 yards and 14 touchdowns as a rookie for the Lions. He caught 24 passes for 282 yards. That’s 304 touches for 1,752 yards and 14 touchdowns.
Faulk, who was drafted by the Colts, rushed 314 times for 1,282 yards and 11 touchdowns. He had 52 catches for 522 yards and a touchdown. That’s 366 touches for 1,804 yards and 12 touchdowns.
Tomlinson, who was drafted by the Chargers, had 339 rushes for 1,236 yards and 10 touchdowns. He had 59 catches for 367 yards. He had 398 touches for 1,603 yards and 10 touchdowns.
Barkley, who was drafted by the Giants, had 261 rushes for 1,307 yards and 11 touchdowns. He also caught 91 passes for 721 yards and four touchdowns. He had 352 touches for 2,028 yards and 15 touchdowns.
Former Falcons running back Michael Turner, who was Tomlinson’s backup for four seasons, sees the comparison.
“I see some similarities with the slashing and catching out of the backfield and doing things like that,” Turner told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution recently. “So, hopefully he can be half as good as LaDainian. He’s got a bright future ahead of him.”
The Falcons plan to use Robinson creatively.
“Bijan’s strengths are that he can run any run scheme,” Falcons coach Arthur Smith said. “You want to call gap, you want to call zone read, you want to call midzone, wide zone, tight zone, whatever term you want to announce, pin pull plays, transportation series, and whatever you want.”
Robinson has enjoyed working with the first-team offensive line.
“For me, it’s important to understand the whole blocking scheme and then get up there with the No. 1s, the first (team) guys,” Robinson said. “On the outside zone, how I’ve got to press and use my vision and see what (left tackle) Jake (Matthews) is doing and see how they are forming the blocks, so that I can set them up and make them look as good as they are.”
That process has been coming along.
“It’s been really comfortable for me being behind those guys, where the ball needs to hit,” Robinson said. “Then when I get to the second level is when it gets dangerous, that’s when I can use my talents in the best way possible. Pressing and keep going on my track for the runs.”
Robinson also is a threat as a receiver. Robinson is working on “just staying patient on my routes,” he said.
Also, the Falcons had Robinson room with the quarterbacks in the team’s training-camp dormitories.
“That was awesome, too,” Robinson said. “Like every night I couldn’t like relax. I had to do something with the quarterbacks. They would call me out there (into the common area). It was cool to see what they do because that really helped me out a lot.”
Robinson would get asked by the quarterbacks what he was supposed to do on certain plays. From the testing, he’s developed a routine that he can carry in to the regular season.
“Every weekend you get the game plan, and I already have my routine, my regimen on how to study it, how to learn it and learn the other positions as well, so that I can get as comfortable as I can going into that week,” Robinson said.
The Falcons haven’t changed much of what Robinson was doing at Texas.
“They want me to be as comfortable as possible, so they don’t want to take (anything) away or add something that is drastic,” Robinson said. “Obviously, I have to learn a lot of different positions now. Which is awesome, and I can get back to my ability, other than that, nothing much.”
Falcons offensive coordinator Dave Ragone believes Robinson will be held to the team’s standard.
“Anybody who gets a helmet, the expectations are the same if you’re a veteran or if you’re a rookie,” Ragone said. “Just like Bijan or any other rookie that’s lined up, we have a standard, and we want them to operate that way.”
Robinson wants to get the first-game jitters out of the way in the exhibition games, so that he’s ready to hit the ground running at the start of the regular season.
“For me, as a guy (who’s) coming in, doing so many different things, you want to be as comfortable as you can at everything,” Robinson said. “Not just things that you are good at, I can work on things that I’m not good at or need to work on. I think that comes with reps, the situations they are putting me in and putting me through.”
Robinson is learning how to read pro coverages. He may have one route against man-to-man coverage and another route against zone coverage. He has to know the difference.
“I understand the game so much more,” Robinson said “I’m learning a lot of different things that I didn’t learn before like reading coverages, when it comes to reading second-level defenders and doing all of that pre-snap. Those are the other things I was really uncomfortable with.”
Robinson played at Texas with Falcons defensive tackle Ta’Quon Graham.
“I think everybody wants to highlight Bijan’s talent,” Graham said. “He’s an incredibly talented player, but I think you got to see him as a person. With him being one of the highest-paid running backs, you wouldn’t notice if you see him walk around here on the daily. He acts just like any other rookie.”
Robinson’s maturity has impressed the veterans.
“He shows up on time,” Graham said. “He puts the work in, and he’s been like that ever since he stepped on campus when he was a freshman. (He’s) always been a humble guy, always wanting to put the work in.”
Robinson’s humbleness and willingness to work hard is a good combination that could lead to heavy workload.
“When you’ve got that talent, and you’re willing to put the work in, I don’t know what y’all might see,” Graham said. “You might something crazy out there. Who knows.”
FALCONS / FROM THE FIELD TO THE LOCKER ROOM
MOST TOUCHES BY A ROOKIE RB
Player, Team Year Touches
Eric Dickerson, Rams 1983 441
Edgerrin James, Colts 1999 431
LaDainian Tomlinson, Chargers 2001 398
Curtis Martin, Patriots 1995 398
George Rogers, Saints 1981 394
Credit: Miguel Martinez
Credit: Miguel Martinez
Credit: Miguel Martinez
Credit: Miguel Martinez
Credit: Jason Getz / Jason.Getz@ajc.com
Credit: Jason Getz / Jason.Getz@ajc.com
Credit: HYOSUB SHIN / AJC
Credit: HYOSUB SHIN / AJC
