As everyone debates the value of taking Bijan Robinson early in the first round, let’s take a little trip down memory lane. The year was 2017 and the Philadelphia Eagles held the 14th overall pick in Round 1.
Christian McCaffrey was high on their draft board, according to Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer. In fact, the Eagles were so enamored with the dual-threat running back out of Stanford that they were prepared to take him at No. 14 if he dropped to them. The board didn’t play out that way, though. McCaffrey was snatched up by the Carolina Panthers at No. 8 and the Eagles snagged defensive end Derek Barnett at No. 14.
Breer shared the story more as a cautionary tale, adding that “I doubt the Eagles take Bijan Robinson at No. 10.” Either way, here is how things went down in 2017:
The Eagles were prepared to take Christian McCaffrey with the 14th pick (the pick they got from the Vikings for Sam Bradford), had the ex–Stanford star fallen to them. McCaffrey didn’t, and Philadelphia wound up with Tennessee pass rusher Derek Barnett instead. The Eagles won the Super Bowl nine months later, Barnett was just O.K., and McCaffrey became, and remains, a big star in the pros.
“The McCaffrey story at least got me thinking a little more on Philly and Robinson.”
Why bring this story up now? Because it’s relevant to what general manager Howie Roseman might be thinking when it comes to drafting Bijan Robinson at No. 10. He’s a very similar talent, a generational running back who can unleash the full potential of Nick Sirianni’s offense.
Also, consider this: McCaffrey and his $64 million contract were sent packing to the San Francisco 49ers in 2022, with the Eagles reportedly making an offer ahead of last year’s trade deadline. Yes, they clearly have a thing for the guy who has amassed 8,482 all-scrimmage yards.
Bijan Robinson Had ‘Amazing Visit’ in Philadelphia
Bijan Robinson would take the Eagles’ offense to new heights with his ability to slash inside the tackles and create mismatches in space. No one can deny that. The only thing dropping the Texas standout down draft boards is the fact that he plays running back. Kind of dumb, right? Especially when you consider the person.
“He’s the kind of guy that you want in the building,” ESPN’s Todd McShay said of Robinson. “It’s hard to find many weaknesses in his game. That’s why I think he’s going to be so special at the next level.”
Said his meeting with the #Eagles went great.
t.co/ie5YqbmlTURobinson recently jumped on with the crew at “NFL Live” and detailed his experience in Philadelphia during a pre-draft visit. It sounded like it went swimmingly.
“The Eagles, it was an amazing visit, from coaches to the GM to the janitor, the staff, I mean everybody was just amazing,” Robinson said. “And just even me building those relationships throughout the draft process with those guys, it’s been awesome.”
Texas Star Slated to Eagles at No. 10 in Mock
The tired litany of mock drafts is finally coming to a close. But, here is one more to peruse before we close the book on them: CBS Sports’ Ryan Wilson has the Eagles selecting Texas running back Bijan Robinson at No. 10 and Georgia edge rusher Nolan Smith at No. 30. Hard to find fault with either pick, although it seems impossible to see the board falling that way. If it did, the Eagles’ front office would be toasting champagne long into the evening.
Eagles ‘Prepared’ to Make Run at $64 Million Star: NFL Insider