The Falcons were busy adding pieces to their defense in free agency and they added a a player to the other side of the ball in the first round on Thursday night.
With the eighth overall pick, the Falcons took running back Bijan Robinson. It’s the highest that a running back has come off the board since the Giants took Saquon Barkley with the second overall pick of the 2018 draft.
Robinson is also the first back to go in the top 20 picks since Barkley was selected.
It’s the third straight season that the Falcons have taken an offensive weapon in the first round. Robinson joins tight end Kyle Pitts and wide receiver Drake London in an offense that’s set to be piloted by quarterback Desmond Ridder in 2023.
The Falcons also have impressive 2022 rookie Tyler Allgeier and veteran Cordarrelle Patterson in the backfield, so there’s plenty of talent around Ridder as he tries to prove he’s the right man for the job.