ESPN NFL draft analyst Todd McShay does a report. Oct 5, 2019; Morgantown, WV, USA; ESPN broadcaster Todd McShay talks along the sidelines during the fourth quarter at Mountaineer Field at Milan Puskar Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ben Queen-USA TODAY Sports
College FootballESPNNFLBy Matt Clapp on

During Tuesday’s edition of First Draft, ESPN NFL draft analysts Mel Kiper and Todd McShay broke down Kiper’s latest mock draft.

In the mock draft, Kiper has Texas running back Bijan Robinson going to the Buffalo Bills with the No. 27 overall pick of the 2023 NFL Draft.

McShay responded to the pick with glowing comments about Robinson.

“I haven’t talked to a team that doesn’t have Bijan Robinson, just purely ranked on talent, in their top-seven. He’s one of the seven best players in this draft.”

And then McShay took the praise to another level.

“I thought Saquon Barkley was sensational coming out of Penn State. I’ll make this argument; you can mark it down… I think Bijan Robinson is more talented coming out of Texas, more complete, has more explosiveness, creates more missed tackles, than Saquon Barkley did. And Saquon obviously had some injuries earlier in his career, but we saw it last season, what he can be in the NFL, how special he is. I think Bijan is that and maybe a little bit more.”

Here’s video of the segment, via the host of First Draft, Field Yates:

Barkley was viewed as a generational running back prospect entering the 2018 NFL Draft and was selected second overall by the New York Giants. When healthy, Barkley has shown why he was so highly regarded by the scouting community. In his 2018 rookie season, he ran for 1,307 yards (5.0 AVG) and 11 touchdowns, while adding 91 catches, 721 yards, and five touchdowns as a receiver.

So, to even be compared to Barkley is massive praise. And to suggest that Robinson may “be that and a little bit more”? That’s pretty eye-opening.

McShay followed up on Twitter: “I will be SHOCKED if Bijan is available for the Bills at 27!”

Robinson, who measured in at 5’11”, 215 pounds at the NFL Scouting Combine, ran for 1,580 yards (6.1 AVG) and 18 touchdowns in 2022 for the Longhorns. He also had 19 receptions for 314 yards (16.5 AVG) and two touchdowns.

In McShay’s most recent mock draft, he has Robinson going 10th overall to the Philadelphia Eagles.

[Field Yates on Twitter; Mel Kiper’s mock draft on ESPN]

About Matt Clapp

Matt is an editor at The Comeback. He attended Colorado State University, wishes he was Saved by the Bell's Zack Morris, and idolizes Larry David. And loves pizza and dogs because obviously.

He can be followed on Twitter at @Matt2Clapp (also @TheBlogfines for Cubs/MLB tweets and @DaBearNecess for Bears/NFL tweets), and can be reached by email at mclapp@thecomeback.com.

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