Football teams generally need to run the ball to be successful. Yet NFL franchises are reluctant to spend high draft picks on running backs as they have limited mileage before the tread wears down, and a replacement is needed.
This brings us to Texas unanimous All-American Bijan Robinson, the consensus top running back in this year’s draft class. The 5-foot-11, 215-pound Robinson ran for 1,580 yards (sixth in the country, 6.1 per carry) and 18 touchdowns last season.
The consensus among mock drafts is Robinson will get drafted late in the first round or later. The latest FOX Sports mock has Robinson going to the Buffalo Bills with the No. 27 pick.
To breakdown where the star running back will land in the draft from a betting perspective, we spoke to FOX Bet.
[RELATED: Joel Klatt’s mock draft]
Over/Under for Robinson’s Draft position: 25.5
FOX Bet Trading Operations Associate Matthew Griffe said if he were to set a projected draft line for Robinson, he’d go with a hypothetical Over/Under number of 25.5. Griffe said Robinson is “one of the few blue-chip talents in this year’s NFL Draft.
“The issue, of course, is that he plays a position with low relative value and NFL teams look to spend their draft capital on premium positions,” Griffe added. “Bijan can take an already potent offense and add a home-run hitter that possesses both speed and power.”
Jaxon Smith-Njigba & Bijan Robinson: Top 10 picks in the 2023 NFL Draft
Joel Klatt explained his first mock draft for the 2023 NFL Draft.
Who was the last running back to be the top pick? Penn State’s Ki-Jana Carter by the Cincinnati Bengals in 1995. Carter is a cautionary tale on why teams don’t take running backs with high picks – he tore a knee ligament on the third carry of his first preseason game. He missed the entire 1995 season and finished his career with 1,144 rushing yards in 59 games.
If you’re looking to get in on the NFL Draft action, head on over to FOX Bet!
Top stories from FOX Sports
Play FOX Super 6 every week for your chance to win thousands of dollars every week. Just download the Super 6 app and make your picks today!
Get more from National Football League Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more