To the surprise of many fans and analysts, the Atlanta Falcons selected running back Bijan Robinson with the No. 8 overall pick in last year’s draft. Former head coach Arthur Smith essentially went all in on the ground game by taking Robinson and sticking with Desmond Ridder and Taylor Heinicke at quarterback.
Robinson’s rookie season was impressive but wasn’t enough to get Atlanta back to the postseason and Smith was fired hours after the team’s Week 18 loss to the Saints. Knowing how the season turned out, would the Falcons still have taken the dynamic running back in the first round?
In Draft Wire’s 2023 NFL redraft, Atlanta passes on Robinson to take Wake Forest defensive tackle Kobie Turner:
It was tough to pass up Bijan Robinson here to the Falcons again but Kobie Turner was just too much of a disruptive force on the Interior defensive line — Draft Wire’s Curt Popejoy.
Turner was selected in the third round by the Los Angeles Rams where he played under current Falcons head coach Raheem Morris. The rookie defensive lineman finished the year with 57 total tackles and nine sacks for the Rams.
So where does Robinson end up in Draft Wire’s redraft? Popejoy has the rookie falling to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at pick No. 19. Other notable picks include C.J. Stroud going first overall and Bryce Young falling out of the first round.