ATLANTA BOUND: Bijan Robinson taken by Falcons in first round of NFL draft

No player from the University of Texas had been selected in the first round of the NFL draft in seven years. That is a long drought for one of the premier programs in all of college football.

The drought finally ended Thursday night when running back Bijan Robinson was chosen with the eighth overall pick by the Atlanta Falcons.

Most draft analysts regarded Robinson as the best running back in this year’s draft, and some had him slated as the best player overall. His name is engraved all over the Texas’ record books; he ranks fourth all-time in rushing yards with 3,410, he had eighteen career 100-yard rushing games, and scored 41 total touchdowns.

He has an elite ability to create offense on his own, charting 91 forced missed tackles this year. In the modern NFL, a running back must be able to contribute in the passing game, and Robinson is prototypical in that regard, recording 805 receiving yards in his career as a Longhorn.

For the Falcons, this selection should provide instant offense and help take pressure off second-year quarterback Desmond Ridder who was named the starter in the offseason.

By all accounts, Robinson is not only a fantastic player but also a tremendous leader and person as well. He was a big part of the turnaround season in Austin this year, and he will look to play the same role as a pro in Atlanta for years to come.