Texas running back Bijan Robinson is widely viewed as the top player at his position for the 2023 NFL draft.
While some NFL organizations don’t value selecting a running back in the first round, Robinson is a unique and special talent that would be the exception to that narrative.
Robinson has been projected to be taken off of the board in the first round of the majority of NFL mock drafts recently. He’s been tabbed as high at the No. 5 overall pick and as low as the bottom third of the first round.
In Pro Football Network’s latest mock draft, Robinson was selected by the Cincinnati Bengals with the No. 26 overall pick. Here’s what Kent Platte had to say about Robinson’s fit in Cincinnati.
The Cincinnati Bengals are one of the best teams in the NFL. They were in 2021, and they have continued to be in 2022. Teams like that have luxuries that lesser teams don’t really have when it comes to draft planning.
They’re rarely looking to fill major holes and have the benefit of a stronger overall roster. So they can overlook positions of need if the value doesn’t line up with their picks, and they can sometimes take identity-defining picks even if they’d be viewed as a luxury.
That’s where we see the Bengals with their pick here. Bijan Robinson is going to raise eyebrows from fans at first, given Joe Mixon’s remaining contract, who is set to make nearly $13 million in 2023.
You’re not just getting a starting running back in Robinson, though, nor are you just getting a guy who can produce in an NFL offense. You’re building an identity as a team that can threaten you deep with Ja’Marr Chase, so you can’t keep your safeties too close to the line, and beat you in many ways in the run game with Robinson, making it dangerous to play with your safeties too deep. It’s very tough to defend even before you consider Joe Burrow’s presence.
Pairing a superstar running back with Joe Burrow would certainly be a sight to see.
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