On Monday Night Football in Week 4, Bijan Robinson broke through the left side of the Atlanta Falcons‘ offensive line and saw daylight.
He sprinted away from the New Orleans Saints, and he almost coasted to the end zone. It’s the kind of lower-gear running you don’t normally see on a touchdown un in the NFL, but that’s how gone Robinson was on this play.
It’s the kind of running Robinson got the chance to do often in high school.
The NFL superstar was once a high school legend in the state of Arizona, and as you might expect, he was simply superior to everyone else on the field.
Sure, the gap is closer in the NFL — but Robinson still often is the best player on the field. He’s as high of a level at running back as any player there is.
Now imagine this astounding talent on a high school football field. Robinson was pretty much unstoppable.
Bijan Robinson High School Stats
Robinson starred at Salpointe Catholic High School in Tuscon, Arizona.
He finished his career with a school-record 7,036 yards and 114 total touchdowns.
Salpointe made the state title game in both 2017 and 2018 with Robinson on their side.
He started his freshman year at the JV level but did get some varsity time that year, running for 378 yards and four TDs.
Robinson upped his level from there.
As a sophomore, he ran for 2,023 yards and 26 touchdowns. The next year, he went for 2,400 yards on the ground with 35 TDs.
As a senior, Robinson ran for 38 touchdowns while rushing for another 2,235 yards.
Robinson added nine receiving touchdowns.
Bijan Robinson High School Highlights
Robinson just ran right past everyone as a high school player.
The first highlight in the clip below is astounding. He first jukes past one defender, then another — then he goes running at full speed as if everyone around him is running half speed.
Where is Bijan Robinson From?
Robinson is from Tuscon, Arizona, and he also is proud to be from outside of Phoenix.
In his rookie year, the Falcons played in Arizona against the Cardinals, and this is what Robinson said at the time, via the Falcons’ official website:
“Being a guy that Tucson has looked up to for a long time, it will be like putting on for that city (and) for Phoenix. It’s gonna be special.”
Salpointe’s former assistant coach Al Alexander told the Falcons’ official site for that same story that Robinson “made Tuscon relevant.”
He was a program-defining player as a high school running back in Arizona.
He went on to be a game-changing player at the University of Texas.
And now in Atlanta, Robinson is making the case that he’s one of the most talented players to ever wear a Falcons uniform. If you consider what he did growing up, it’s clear that Robinson was always on this path toward greatness.
Every journey starts somewhere, and Robinson’s started in Arizona, where he first wowed people every time he had the football in his hands.
Bijan Robinson High School Football Stats, Highlights Foreshadowed Falcons Greatness