Todd McShay, Mel Kiper Jr. get into heated argument over Bijan Robinson's projected draft spot

ESPN NFL draft expert Todd McShay believes Bijan Robinson is a sure-fire first-round pick. The former Texas running back is far and away the best player at his position, but there is some disagreement between McShay and fellow ESPN draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr. on how far he will fall.

McShay has Robinson going No. 18 overall to the Detroit Lions in his latest mock draft. However, he revealed during an ESPN mock draft special on Tuesday that he feels Robinson should go much higher, taking a shot at Kiper in the process.

“It pained me every pick I went through of the first 17 picks to not put Bijan there,” McShay said. “He’s a top-five player in this draft talent-wise but he’s gonna drop because Mel Kiper tells everyone in the league you can’t draft a running back in the first round. He’s 5’11”, 215 (and) he ran a 4.46.

“I think he’s more talented and complete than Saquon Barkley was and he was the No. 2 overall pick. Look at the forced missed tackles. The ball skills that he has. Steve Sarkisian said, ‘you think what you see on tape is great? You should see him in practice.’ Then he’s got pass protection that he brings. He is a complete back.”

Robinson rushed for 3,410 yards and 33 touchdowns across three seasons at Texas. That includes back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons in 2021 and 2022. He also proved himself a receiving threat with 60 catches for 805 yards and eight touchdowns.

Despite all that, however, Kiper believes the Lions have greater areas of concern to address before taking a running back.

“The defense had issues and they went out and got three DBs in free agency,” he said. “Aidan Hutchinson had a great year coming off the edge. But I think you look at running back. Could Bijan Robinson help the defense by keeping them off the field? Yes he could. But they have David Montgomery they brought in from the Bears. They have D’Andre Swift. They could use a tight end and defensive players. …I say no, no, no here for Bijan Robinson. I say defense or tight ends for the Detroit Lions. Just not a running back.”

Kiper went on to explain that part of his reasoning on Robinson comes from a philosophy of never taking running backs in the first round. Instead, he believes teams can find talented backs in the middle-to-late rounds and look elsewhere early on.

“You forget, Todd, the draft doesn’t end in the first round,” Kiper continued. “There’s some really good running backs you will pick up every year from rounds 3-7. So maybe the Lions can add a guy that can play down the road. DeWayne McBride from UAB may drop to the fourth or fifth round. I’d rather have him there than Bijan Robinson in the first round if I’m the Detroit Lions.”

Still, even Kiper can’t deny the talent of Bijan Robinson, as he has him as a late first-round pick in his mock draft, going No. 27 to Buffalo. But McShay is sticking with his prediction, laying out several reasons why Detroit makes sense as a landing spot for the former Longhorn.

“You forget to mention Jamaal Williams was their guy last year and he’s gone,” McShay said. “D’Andre Swift can’t stay healthy and he’s got one year left on his contract. They brought in a running back who has only had two or three 100-yard rushing games the past two seasons. I’m talking about bringing in a transcendent talent at the running back position that can make your whole team — as you mentioned, Mel, even the defensive side — better.”