The off-season is a time to stake claims on the next season. For The 33rd Team, part of that means that they will rank the top 25 NFL players under 25, using former Minnesota Vikings GM Jeff Diamond. Looking at Diamond’s rankings, many of the usual suspects are there: Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson tops the list, Dallas Cowboys outside linebacker Micah Parsons is second and Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud reaches the top-ten after his stellar rookie season. All of these make sense, and those picked on this list all are deserving…there is just one emerging superstar for the Atlanta Falcons that was omitted: Running back Bijan Robinson.
After a rookie season where Robinson gained the most scrimmage yards from a rookie running back since Indianapolis Colts’ Jonathan Taylor in 2020, there was a thought that he would have more hype around a season with presumably better offensive play-calling and better quarterback play. But even more surprising than Robinson’s omission was the recognition of the other first-round running back from the 2023 draft: Detroit Lions’ Jahmyr Gibbs.
| Bijan Robinson | Jahmyr Gibbs |
Rushes | 214 | 182 |
Rushing Yards | 976 | 945 |
Yards/Rush | 4.56 | 5.19 |
Rushing TDs | 4 | 10 |
Targets | 86 | 71 |
Receptions | 58 | 52 |
Receiving Yards | 487 | 316 |
Receiving TDs | 4 | 1 |
Yards/Target | 5.66 | 4.45 |
Yards/Reception | 8.39 | 6.08 |
Touches | 272 | 234 |
All-Purpose Yards | 1463 | 1261 |
Yards/Touch | 5.38 | 5.39 |
Total TDs | 8 | 11 |
The Lions have arguably the best offensive line in the league, a good quarterback in Jared Goff and one of the more creative play-callers in offensive coordinator Ben Johnson. These allowed Gibbs to show off his explosiveness more than an Arthur Smith-Desmond Ridder-led Falcons offense. But, as you can see by the almost identical yards/touch numbers, Gibbs and Robinson both have the potential to be the more dynamic backs in the NFL.
However, there is something to be said for Robinson’s ability to keep up with Gibbs’ numbers despite the lackluster offensive infrastructure for the Falcons in 2023. Doesn’t Robinson deserve a boost for making the best out of a bad situation?
Player | Touches | Total Yards | Yards/Touch |
Christian McCaffrey | 339 | 2023 | 5.97 |
James Cook | 281 | 1567 | 5.58 |
Tyjae Spears | 152 | 838 | 5.51 |
Jaylen Warren | 210 | 1154 | 5.50 |
Jahmyr Gibbs | 234 | 1261 | 5.39 |
Bijan Robinson | 272 | 1463 | 5.38 |
Breece Hall | 299 | 1585 | 5.30 |
Kyren Williams | 260 | 1350 | 5.19 |
Aaron Jones | 172 | 889 | 5.17 |
Brian Robinson, Jr. | 214 | 1101 | 5.14 |
Either way, both backs seem to be on the correct trajectory to living up to their first-round status. It will be exciting to watch their careers side-by-side, as both superstar backs will have plenty to live up to in the coming years.
