The 40-yard-dash could solidify Bijan Robinson's status as a first-round prospect
On Monday, NFL Network insider Tom Pelissero tweeted that former Texas Longhorns running back and potential first-round draft pick Bijan Robinson plans to do “all on-field drills and testing” at the NFL combine just a few days before Texas hosts its pro day on March 9.
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That turns the first full week of March into one of massive importance for the 2022 Doak Walker Award winner and unanimous first-team All-American, with increased attention on one single drill.
Which one? The 40-yard-dash.
For anyone who has followed Robinson’s career, there’s little doubt he can ace anything thrown his way during the interview portion of the combine. Plus, it’s expected Robinson will post excellent marks in the vertical jump, the broad jump, the three-cone, the shuttle, and the bench press. Those tests measure baseline strength and explosive ability, something Robinson showed often during his three-year Texas career.
Robinson didn’t show many examples of elite top-end speed. Arguably his most famous run as a Longhorn — a 50-yard rush versus Oklahoma in 2021 — showcases every bit of that explosiveness, strength, and agility. But it also revealed the one question NFL decision-makers may have about him, can he outrun defenders?
Rather than let game tape speak for itself, or just run the 40 inside the friendly confines of UT’s practice bubble on March 9, Robinson is placing a bet on himself that he’ll run fast enough in front of scouts on March 5 in Indianapolis to erase any doubt about his status as a first-round talent.
Speed goes down as the only question mark about Robinson. He was durable, with a freak elbow injury on an attempted stiff arm costing him the final two games of the 2021 season. Those were the only two games of his career that he was not available for. Robinson averaged 23 touches per game in 2022, and was often a key part of any late-game closes during the Longhorns’ season.
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Robinson also doesn’t have a lot of wear-and-tear as far as running backs go. Splitting carries during the shortened 2020 season kept him at 102 total touches in nine games. He was the featured back in the 2021 Longhorn offense, but only went above 25 total touches in a game twice. That number increased to five in 2022, all of those games taking place in the second half of the season. Steve Sarkisian got everything he could out of No. 5, but never overworked Robinson thanks in large part to Roschon Johnson’s presence on the roster.
That final stretch of the 2022 season featured ample evidence of Robinson’s exceptional cutting ability, vision, and play strength. As a receiver, he boasts hands and route-running skills that will please NFL play-callers who’ll be incentivized to hunt for matchups with the talented product of Tucson (Ariz.) Salpointe Catholic. Plus, he has the baseline blocking ability needed to play three downs in the NFL.
That checks just about every box, which likely is enough to be selected within the first 31 picks of the 2023 draft (Miami forfeited its first round pick this year). That could help him join a select company of running backs taken in round one in the past five drafts.
But if he aces the 40-yard-dash? Then Texas will likely produce its first offensive player to be selected in the first round of the NFL draft since Vince Young was taken third overall by Tennessee in 2006.
