Bijan Robinson THE THREAD

[Pullo Vision]

Rather than any of the short term Bijan threads, this is for him as a prospect, a player and his NFL production/performance.

As a prospect, evaluators are fairly excited about him. There are those who've been doing that for 7+ years and say he's their highest rated RB prospect in that time. That said, he's not without blemishes. Most point to not having break away speed, while some have stated he can be too patient.

Curious where people here think he ranks to other RB prospects of the last 10 years.

[FantasyFreak]

I think I'd like to rank the Bijan threads. I will hold off ranking this thread, as I the sample size of comments is way too small, only having the OP to date.

In all seriousness. I think TG3 was a better prospect. Barkley was, but Bijan is the better pure runner, IMO to SB. Zeke was a better prospect, but I do think that Bijan is close to these guys. I think the fact he's "only" 215 puts him a little lower. Those other guys were fast at 10-15 pounds heavier, and all could catch.

[Dynasty DeLorean]

I think I'd like to rank the Bijan threads.

A thread ranking Bijan threads. Genius. Start it up!

[SoftwoodGrampian]

Bijan Robinson

[FantasyFreak]

I think I'd like to rank the Bijan threads.

A thread ranking Bijan threads. Genius. Start it up!

I was going to, but thought DLF Mike might tell me I know better.....and I do....I guess....sort of. Would have been funny.

[Bronco Billy]

A few of my posts in other Bijan threads, and of course exhibiting extremely poor protocol and quoting myself:

Watching Bijan, I see a RB who is a level below JT and Taylor was getting his balls busted pre-draft as a 2 down fumbler. Bijan has very good receiving skills and is good in pass protection but he has some trouble running through trash. You watch him in half his games last year and he looked good but hardly jumped off the page as something elite, much less generational. The NFL ain’t the same as playing Kansas and K State.

If you’re looking at the outcomes you’re missing the point. Where is the amalgam of traits that make him such an allegedly elite back? That allow him to change plays? He has good burst. Footwork is solid. He finishes well. Vision is okay but not special. Footwork is solid but not exceptional. He is a very good receiver. Contact balance isn’t special in those games.

Are you getting the amalgam? A lot of good to very good traits but nothing that adds up to elite, and these games emphasize that. There are opportunities where an elite back would have turned some of the opportunities into big gains but instead he doesn’t quite get there. And again, these aren’t elite Ds.

Iowa St was taking away the pass and playing light boxes almost exclusively because they clearly felt that Robinson could be contained, and they were right. West Virginia is middle of the pack as a run D and they controlled him. There were opportunities - chances to cut back, create something for himself, work his way through trash or beat someone in space and except for a couple of rare instances he could not do it. How does that translate to generational or even elite at the next level? I’m just not seeing it. A very good back - yes, there is enough there when you put all the pieces together. Just not exceptional.

We won’t even get into the ‘Bama or TCU games where he had to create something for himself and just doesn’t have the ability to do it. That’s going to happen at the next level also unless he ends up on what are maybe 7-8 teams. There are going to be those games where his line is overmatched. Elite backs find a way to at least break something here or there and deliver a mediocre to moderate game.

I want to make myself perfectly clear. There is enough talent there to be successful, especially the way he performs as a receiver. I believe he can be a lead back and deliver FF RB1 numbers. I don’t see enough that he adds up to a Barkley or JT or McCaffrey or Zeke in his prime or any other truly special back like the LT or Edge that some are alluding to when they talk about him.

This is crazy. Watch the tape on him. Not ‘Bama and TCU because his Oline didn’t help him out at all. But West Virginia and Iowa St - tell me he’s elite after seeing those games. Very good? Okay, but not elite and definitely not anywhere near generational. And Iowa St was playing their base D with 6 in the box and went down to 5 in the box at times. Those are not superior run Ds and his line was matching up against them. Those are not the levels of D that he’ll see in the NFL and he looked good against them but nothing that jumps off the screen.

I just do not get it. I see the potential for a RB1, but definitely not THE RB1.

[Pullo Vision]

A few of my posts in other Bijan threads, and of course exhibiting extremely poor protocol and quoting myself:

Watching Bijan, I see a RB who is a level below JT and Taylor was getting his balls busted pre-draft as a 2 down fumbler. Bijan has very good receiving skills and is good in pass protection but he has some trouble running through trash. You watch him in half his games last year and he looked good but hardly jumped off the page as something elite, much less generational. The NFL ain’t the same as playing Kansas and K State.

If you’re looking at the outcomes you’re missing the point. Where is the amalgam of traits that make him such an allegedly elite back? That allow him to change plays? He has good burst. Footwork is solid. He finishes well. Vision is okay but not special. Footwork is solid but not exceptional. He is a very good receiver. Contact balance isn’t special in those games.

Are you getting the amalgam? A lot of good to very good traits but nothing that adds up to elite, and these games emphasize that. There are opportunities where an elite back would have turned some of the opportunities into big gains but instead he doesn’t quite get there. And again, these aren’t elite Ds.

Iowa St was taking away the pass and playing light boxes almost exclusively because they clearly felt that Robinson could be contained, and they were right. West Virginia is middle of the pack as a run D and they controlled him. There were opportunities - chances to cut back, create something for himself, work his way through trash or beat someone in space and except for a couple of rare instances he could not do it. How does that translate to generational or even elite at the next level? I’m just not seeing it. A very good back - yes, there is enough there when you put all the pieces together. Just not exceptional.

We won’t even get into the ‘Bama or TCU games where he had to create something for himself and just doesn’t have the ability to do it. That’s going to happen at the next level also unless he ends up on what are maybe 7-8 teams. There are going to be those games where his line is overmatched. Elite backs find a way to at least break something here or there and deliver a mediocre to moderate game.

I want to make myself perfectly clear. There is enough talent there to be successful, especially the way he performs as a receiver. I believe he can be a lead back and deliver FF RB1 numbers. I don’t see enough that he adds up to a Barkley or JT or McCaffrey or Zeke in his prime or any other truly special back like the LT or Edge that some are alluding to when they talk about him.

This is crazy. Watch the tape on him. Not ‘Bama and TCU because his Oline didn’t help him out at all. But West Virginia and Iowa St - tell me he’s elite after seeing those games. Very good? Okay, but not elite and definitely not anywhere near generational. And Iowa St was playing their base D with 6 in the box and went down to 5 in the box at times. Those are not superior run Ds and his line was matching up against them. Those are not the levels of D that he’ll see in the NFL and he looked good against them but nothing that jumps off the screen.

I just do not get it. I see the potential for a RB1, but definitely not THE RB1.

Thanks for putting this all together. Good to read some measured takes on him.

I think TG3 was a better prospect. Barkley was, but Bijan is the better pure runner, IMO to SB. Zeke was a better prospect, but I do think that Bijan is close to these guys. I think the fact he's "only" 215 puts him a little lower. Those other guys were fast at 10-15 pounds heavier, and all could catch.

I agree with these points. Barkley has more play breaking speed but not the interior runner of a Zeke or Bijan.

If I were to rank these four based on NFL evaluation not FF-
Gurley
Zeke
Bijan
Barkley

[Jigga94]

Barkley > Bijan

[Dynasty DeLorean]

One comp I haven’t seen made and I think might be the most accurate is Marshawn Lynch. People only seem to remember lynch as a slower power back in his later years but coming out of college he looked much closer to bijan. And everything about their size, speed, athleticism, receiving, draft capital, tackle breaking and play style appears to be very similar.

Check out Lynch’s college highlight video https://youtu.be/NIXxy3krTvc

[Bronco Billy]

One comp I haven’t seen made and I think might be the most accurate is Marshawn Lynch. People only seem to remember lynch as a slower power back in his later years but coming out of college he looked much closer to bijan. And everything about their size, speed, athleticism, receiving, draft capital, tackle breaking and play style appears to be very similar.

Check out Lynch’s college highlight video https://youtu.be/NIXxy3krTvc

Hadn’t thought about him, but that is a really well thought out comp. Well done. I don’t think Bijan has the contact balance that Lynch had, but then again who does?

[Jigga94]

One comp I haven’t seen made and I think might be the most accurate is Marshawn Lynch. People only seem to remember lynch as a slower power back in his later years but coming out of college he looked much closer to bijan. And everything about their size, speed, athleticism, receiving, draft capital, tackle breaking and play style appears to be very similar.

Check out Lynch’s college highlight video https://youtu.be/NIXxy3krTvc

Hadn’t thought about him, but that is a really well thought out comp. Well done. I don’t think Bijan has the contact balance that Lynch had, but then again who does?

Yup good comp. Cant remember where I heard it first, but thats who I have as his comp in my notes. Much more fitting than Barkley/Zeke/Breece imo

[Lumps]

One comp I haven’t seen made and I think might be the most accurate is Marshawn Lynch. People only seem to remember lynch as a slower power back in his later years but coming out of college he looked much closer to bijan. And everything about their size, speed, athleticism, receiving, draft capital, tackle breaking and play style appears to be very similar.

Check out Lynch’s college highlight video https://youtu.be/NIXxy3krTvc

Hadn’t thought about him, but that is a really well thought out comp. Well done. I don’t think Bijan has the contact balance that Lynch had, but then again who does?

I didn't watch college then even though I was involved in FFB, so I didn't even know he was as slender in college as he was (relatively).

Lynch may have the contact balance (obviously) but Bijan I think is more elusive than Lynch was in college or pros. Bijan makes 2 cuts in the hole and LBs barely touch him.

I think this is a good opportunity to revive the epic Peterson vs Lynch thread. That thing was a roller coaster

[MacDaddy123]

Bijan good, hmmmm.

[Pullo Vision]

I had the chance to buy 1.1/Bijan, so dove into one of those every run/target vids. One thing that struck me was his receiving ability. It's not talked about enough. We're not talking functional receiving ability or short targets like Texas routes or screens/dump offs. He was motioned into the slot and targeted downfield in college. An unhealthy number of them were incomplete, though whether that was due to the QB or the receiver I don't know. When he did catch, he showed the ability to reach beyond his frame, extend and high point, and snatch with both hands. Would've been nice to see him YAC more.

I absolutely love the landing spot. Huge commitment to the run, and very effective with sub par QB play. I balked at paying up for him because it would've unbalanced my roster. I'm a pretty active trader, but don't want to make a deal anticipating I can cover the hole with another. I missed my chance and may not have another in any of my leagues.

I think Bijan will justify his valuation over the next 3 years, baring injury/suspension.

[j4pac]

A few of my posts in other Bijan threads, and of course exhibiting extremely poor protocol and quoting myself:

Watching Bijan, I see a RB who is a level below JT and Taylor was getting his balls busted pre-draft as a 2 down fumbler. Bijan has very good receiving skills and is good in pass protection but he has some trouble running through trash. You watch him in half his games last year and he looked good but hardly jumped off the page as something elite, much less generational. The NFL ain’t the same as playing Kansas and K State.

If you’re looking at the outcomes you’re missing the point. Where is the amalgam of traits that make him such an allegedly elite back? That allow him to change plays? He has good burst. Footwork is solid. He finishes well. Vision is okay but not special. Footwork is solid but not exceptional. He is a very good receiver. Contact balance isn’t special in those games.

Are you getting the amalgam? A lot of good to very good traits but nothing that adds up to elite, and these games emphasize that. There are opportunities where an elite back would have turned some of the opportunities into big gains but instead he doesn’t quite get there. And again, these aren’t elite Ds.

Iowa St was taking away the pass and playing light boxes almost exclusively because they clearly felt that Robinson could be contained, and they were right. West Virginia is middle of the pack as a run D and they controlled him. There were opportunities - chances to cut back, create something for himself, work his way through trash or beat someone in space and except for a couple of rare instances he could not do it. How does that translate to generational or even elite at the next level? I’m just not seeing it. A very good back - yes, there is enough there when you put all the pieces together. Just not exceptional.

We won’t even get into the ‘Bama or TCU games where he had to create something for himself and just doesn’t have the ability to do it. That’s going to happen at the next level also unless he ends up on what are maybe 7-8 teams. There are going to be those games where his line is overmatched. Elite backs find a way to at least break something here or there and deliver a mediocre to moderate game.

I want to make myself perfectly clear. There is enough talent there to be successful, especially the way he performs as a receiver. I believe he can be a lead back and deliver FF RB1 numbers. I don’t see enough that he adds up to a Barkley or JT or McCaffrey or Zeke in his prime or any other truly special back like the LT or Edge that some are alluding to when they talk about him.

This is crazy. Watch the tape on him. Not ‘Bama and TCU because his Oline didn’t help him out at all. But West Virginia and Iowa St - tell me he’s elite after seeing those games. Very good? Okay, but not elite and definitely not anywhere near generational. And Iowa St was playing their base D with 6 in the box and went down to 5 in the box at times. Those are not superior run Ds and his line was matching up against them. Those are not the levels of D that he’ll see in the NFL and he looked good against them but nothing that jumps off the screen.

I just do not get it. I see the potential for a RB1, but definitely not THE RB1.

Thanks for putting this all together. Good to read some measured takes on him.

I think TG3 was a better prospect. Barkley was, but Bijan is the better pure runner, IMO to SB. Zeke was a better prospect, but I do think that Bijan is close to these guys. I think the fact he's "only" 215 puts him a little lower. Those other guys were fast at 10-15 pounds heavier, and all could catch.

I agree with these points. Barkley has more play breaking speed but not the interior runner of a Zeke or Bijan.

If I were to rank these four based on NFL evaluation not FF-
Gurley
Zeke
Bijan
Barkley

Lots of revisionist history here. Barkley was elite at everything. Easily the best prospect of the four. Next I’d take Gurley, then CmC. Zeke and Bijan aren’t on those guys level. I’m in the minority but in one of my leagues I’m trading out of 1.01 hoping to get Gibbs, who I think is better.