NFL Rumors: Bijan Robinson Believed to Be Draft's Best Player by Multiple Teams

There continues to be debate about where Bijan Robinson will actually land in the 2023 NFL draft, but there's reportedly a strong consensus that the Texas running back is one of the best players in this class.

ESPN's Jeremy Fowler said on Saturday's SportsCenter that scouts for multiple teams consider Robinson to be the No. 1 player, regardless of position, in the 2023 draft:

"I've talked to multiple teams, or at least scouts with teams who believe that he is the best overall player in this entire draft. Better than the quarterbacks and everybody else. The problem is, he's a running back, running backs rarely go in the top 10 anymore. If he were to go there, you could look at a team like Atlanta, that loves to run the ball with Arthur Smith, they could use a piece like that. Then you have later in the draft, if he were to slip, Dallas in the 20s, then you've got Tampa, maybe even Buffalo, would love to have a guy like that."

It's not surprising to see Robinson so highly regarded. Anyone following the draft is aware there is a lot of optimism about his talent.

B/R's NFL scouting department has Robinson ranked as the best offensive player and No. 4 overall talent in this year's draft. Alabama edge Will Anderson Jr., Georgia defensive tackle Jalen Carter and Clemson defensive end Myles Murphy are the only players ahead of him.

In his scouting report for B/R, Derrik Klassen compared Robinson to a supercharged Breece Hall and wrote he "should step in right away and be able to carry the workload for a rushing offense."

Hall was arguably the favorite to win Offensive Rookie of the Year last season before tearing his ACL in Week 7. The New York Jets running back had 463 rushing yards, 218 receiving yards and five total touchdowns in seven games.

The main problem for Robinson leading up to the draft is how running backs are valued in the NFL. There were no first-round running backs last year—Hall was the first off the board with the 36th overall pick—and there hasn't been a running back drafted in the top 10 picks since Saquon Barkley in 2018 (No. 2 overall).

The most mentioned landing spot for Robinson in the top 10 is the Philadelphia Eagles at No. 10. The Athletic's Bruce Feldman had that pairing in his mock draft posted on Friday.

Eagles general manager Howie Roseman hasn't generally prioritized running backs in the draft. The Eagles have drafted seven players at the position since 2010, with Miles Sanders in 2019 (No. 53 overall) being the only one selected before the fourth round.

Regardless of where Robinson lands, there seems to be a strong feeling that he will be able to step in and play at a high level right away. The 21-year-old won the Doak Walker Award as the nation's best running back in 2022 after racking up 1,894 yards from scrimmage and 20 total touchdowns.