Johnathan Walker:No secret weapon: Falcons RB Bijan Robinson might tear up NFL as a rookie

FLOWERY BRANCH,Johnathan Walker Ga. – Psst. What’s your number?

Bijan Robinson, No. 7 in an Atlanta Falcons jersey, has been asked this question about his goals for the coming season in some form or fashion since his sophomore year in high school.

The rookie running back, who produced nearly 1,900 yards from scrimmage during his final season at Texas in 2022, didn’t budge from his stock answer this week. Surrounded by a pack of reporters following a steamy training camp practice, Robinson came so clean.

“Expectations for me, I don’t really look at them in a big way,” he said. “I take everything one day at a time. And I know if I take everything one day at a time you know the end goals will, God willing, happen. But I think for me, I don’t really look ahead.”

Of course, that was a slice of the humility that is part of Robinson’s calling card. It was also a glimpse of the maturity that his new head coach, Arthur Smith, professes about the 21-year-old, who will make his preseason debut against the Cincinnati Bengals on Friday night at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Robinson rushed four times for 20 yards against the Bengals, including a 12-yard scamper on his first touch, and caught one pass for 6 yards.

The NFL universe and fantasy football eggheads might project that Robinson is poised to tear up the league as the centerpiece of the Falcons offense, but there are no clip-and-save or potential foot-in-mouth declarations coming from the man himself.

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Maybe he just doesn’t want to say it publicly that he can envision having the type of impact that Saquon Barkley had as a multiple-dimensional threat for the New York Giants as a rookie in 2018 with his league-high 2,028 yards from scrimmage. Perhaps Robinson has some list of goals, which might even include breaking Eric Dickerson’s 1983 NFL rookie record of 2,212 yards from scrimmage, tucked away for safe keeping with private possessions.

“I’ve never been that guy,” Robinson said. “I’ve never been a guy to write end-goals because I know that if I play my game and just let the God-given ability go, hopefully things like that will happen. But I’ve been asked that question before every year and I always say the same thing: I’m gonna go out there and give my all and then you guys will see the end result.”

In other words, he’s smart enough to know: Just wait and see.

Someone asked Robinson what his response would be if his coaches, maybe Smith or offensive coordinator Dave Ragone, similarly asked him about his goals.

“Same answer,” he flatly stated.

“Even my family will ask and I’m like, ‘Y’all know. Y’all should know at this point.’ I’m not going to say it. It is what it is.”

Let’s just say that Robinson is anything but a secret weapon. The Falcons undoubtedly project some game-changing impact after selecting Robinson eighth overall, the highest slot for a running back since Barkley was picked second overall by the Giants in 2018. During a practice this week, the potential was so obvious as Robinson exploded through rushing lanes one minute, then wheeled out of the backfield the next before squeezing the football with his soft hands.

During one sequence, he fielded kicks, and the football sailed wide and deep. No sweat. Robinson floated for several feet, then stuck out his left arm to snag the ball over his shoulder with one hand. He made it look so easy.

After sitting out the preseason opener at Miami last weekend, Robinson is expected to play just a handful of plays against Cincinnati, with the real debut looming against Carolina in a few weeks.

“They all need to play at some point,” Smith said, “We’re not going to go crazy. We just need reps. We’re not going to show everything, but we need to execute well. So, that’s what you’ll see: basic stuff to get him going. Feel the speed, a little more speed than he’s felt out there in practice. Get him tackled, get him ready to go for September 10.”

Smith has been plenty creative in designing his offense over the past two seasons, when he has also shown a propensity for relying on the run. With Robinson, the options could go to the next level with the cast surrounding young quarterback Desmond Ridder including the emerging first-round picks from the previous two drafts, tight end Kyle Pitts and wide receiver Drake London, as well as a 1,000-yard rusher last year in Tyler Allgeier and the versatile Cordarrelle Patterson.

“There are a lot of guys who can get the ball,” Robinson said. “A lot of talented dudes.”

Ask Robinson to project how many touches he’ll get and, of course, there are no predictions.

“I’ll just go with whatever the team needs me to do,” he said. “Coach Smith and Coach Rags, whatever they have for me…I’m going to sure that every time I touch the ball or every time, even if I don’t touch the ball, if I’m blocking downfield, giving my best effort. If I have the ball in my hand, you’ve got to make something special with it as much as you can.”

This could be fun to watch. And if you listen to Robinson, it can happen fast on any given Sunday.

Need a lot of carries to get warmed up?

No numbers, please.

“When I step on the field, I’m ready to go,” he said. “Off the bus, my mind-set is already made for the game. When I get on the field, I like the energy, I just see the stadium, all the fans, and I’m already ready to go. I say my quick prayer and I go out there and do what I’ve got to do.”

Which sounds like a promise the Falcons can rise with.