Would the Falcons take Bijan Robinson again in a 2023 redraft?

The Athletic, at least, says yes.

One year later, three years later, a decade down the line. Regardless of the timeframe, it’s beyond tempting to re-visit drafts of yesteryear and try to imagine what your favorite team might have done differently if they knew what we wise men and women of the future know now.

Naturally, that’s already happening with the 2023 NFL Draft, where the Atlanta Falcons snapped up Bijan Robinson to be the final piece of a dynamic, unstoppable offense. The offense ultimately proved to be anything put, fueled by a nightmare season from Desmond Ridder and Taylor Heinicke and a lot of mumbling about solutions that never came from Arthur Smith, and inevitably that puts the players on offense under the microscope. Would the Falcons have drafted Bijan again if they could have seen how last year would have unfolded?

The answer from The Athletic’s Nick Baumgarner, who put together the exercise? Yes.

8. Atlanta Falcons: Bijan Robinson, RB, Texas

Original pick: Robinson

The calculators are cringing at two running backs landing in the top 10. I don’t care, though, because Robinson and Gibbs are legit, versatile NFL playmakers. Robinson caught 58 passes for 487 yards, in addition to rushing for 969, and should only get better with Kirk Cousins in town.

Robinson was a controversial pick even in the moment, as it’s rare that running backs go top ten in the modern NFL. But despite questionable usage (or outright misuse, depending on how far you want to take that criticism), some growing pains as a receiving option, and rookie hiccups, Bijan still put up eight combined touchdowns and close to 1,500 yards from scrimmage on the year, and showed signs of being exactly the kind of high-end, impact player the Falcons envisioned when they took him. The excitement from Zac Robinson and Raheem Morris for Robinson is evident, and his potential to be the kind of preposterously productive back Kyren Williams was for the Rams but with better receiving chops and even more upside as a runner is certainly there. The Falcons love Robinson, and I bet you they would tell you they’d pick Robinson all over again.

In a re-draft where Puka Nacua was available, Brian Branch is kicking around, and Jordan Addison and Kobie Turner are now early-to-mid-round picks, would the Falcons truly do it again? I’d argue that they’d find it easier to pass up those players than, say, a Jalen Carter, Devon Witherspoon, or top level quarterback, given that all of those players are still gone by No. 8. Robinson truly just scratched the surface of his potential last year, and if the value of a running back is an open question in today’s NFL, the ability to be the kind of special, game-breaking player he might be still makes Robinson a top ten selection. If he blossoms this year with Zac Robinson as his offensive coordinator and Kirk Cousins under center, this exercise next year will offer more vigorous head-nodding.

But just a year out from the draft, I wouldn’t blame you if you were thinking a top-shelf receiver or a hyper-versatile defensive back like Branch might have been the pick you would have made. If so, let’s hear your logic in the comments.