Where Does Bijan Robinson Rank Among All-Time Texas Running Backs?
With Bijan Robinson representing Texas at media day entering his third season in Austin, the question has to be asked: Where will the talented Longhorn runner rank among all-time Texas running backs at the end of his career? How does he currently stack up to the legends that came before him?
I love trying to sort out where players stack up all-time, as difficult as it is to control for era, talent, production, significance and supporting cast. We tackled the Top 5 All-Time Longhorn RBs before on the EGAT podcast, and I’d encourage you to listen if you want to contextualize the legends and the honorable mentions. It’s a great discussion.
So what about Bijan? Will he crack the Longhorn Legends Top 5? Or will he be relegated to a strong list of honorable mentions? Let’s take a look.
Production
Over two years and 19 games of action, Bijan has racked up 281 carries, 1,830 yards rushing at 6.5 yards per carry and added another 491 yards receiving on 41 catches at 12 yards a catch. He also has 21 total touchdowns. An encouraging start and it’s worth noting that this isn’t out of line with my five best runners in Texas history in their first two years:
Ricky: 371 carries, 2262 yards, 6.1 ypc, 41 catches, 515 yards, 22 total touchdowns
Earl: 360 carries, 2046 yards, 5.7 ypc, 19 total touchdowns
Jamaal: 275 carries, 1709 yards, 6.2 ypc, 32 catches, 340 yards, 21 total touchdowns
Cedric: 528 carries, 2346 yards, 4.4 ypc, 38 catches, 322 yards, 25 total touchdowns
Rosie Leaks: 459 carries, 2514 yards, 5.5 ypc, 22 total touchdowns
Earl, Ricky, and Roosevelt Leaks all played fullback in their first two years. Early and Rosie in the ‘bone. Ricky in a 2 back system. Cedric got heavy use early and throughout his Longhorn career. He has the most carries in Texas history.
Ricky, Jamaal, Cedric all broke out in Year 3. Earl broke out in Year 4 after an injury derailed his junior campaign. Roosevelt Leaks tragically sustained a knee injury in Year 3 that tragically derailed his college career and limited his NFL success. Other than Jamaal Charles (who split carries with Ramonce Taylor, Selvin Young & Vince Young), to date, Bijan Robinson has seen the lightest use compared to the Longhorn Top 5 at this stage of their careers. That’s partly Bijan’s sparing usage, partly a tendency to miss a game or two every year due to soft tissue injuries. Part of production is availability. Bijan needs a healthy 2022 to make his move up the ranks.
Here are the Top 20 rushers in Texas history statistically (note 3 quarterbacks in the top 20)
Bijan is currently outside of the Top 20 but has a good chance to break into the Top 5 with a healthy 2022.
Talent
As a talent, Bijan is a Top 5 Longhorn runner. He’s a better pure runner than Cedric Benson, but the late great Benson’s epic toughness, endurance, total production and game availability are also important factors. Durability is an ability. Rosie Leaks absent a knee injury probably wins the Heisman trophy before he graduates. Leaks, a dominant power runner, was a completely different player from the multifaceted Bijan though. It’s hard to dent the Earl/Ricky pantheon. If Bijan earns his way into that conversation, it will be because he sets college football on fire and wins the ’22 Heisman in a landslide.
Jamaal Charles is probably the most similar player to Bijan right now in career trajectory. On the field, Charles had less power than Robinson, but JC’s slippery acceleration and top end field speed is without peer in Texas history. Charles elevated a very modest Texas offensive supporting cast in 2007. He is the most consistently mischaracterized great skill player in Longhorn history and the 3rd best runner in Texas history. For Bijan to bump JC, he will need a remarkable junior season. Receiving and blocking are also under appreciated talent factors. Bijan excels in the former, less so in the latter. Ricky Williams remains the most complete running back in Texas history.
Program Significance
No Roosevelt Leaks, no Earl Campbell. Rosie was the first black superstar at Texas. Texas fans and the program owe him a lot. Massive significance.
Early and Ricky are on their own level. Demigods of college football. Iconic Heisman winners. In my top 5 of all time college runners with Barry Sanders and Bo Jackson. Who should be the 5th?
Bijan’s story is not yet really written.
It is interesting that running back, unlike quarterback, doesn’t really have a “wins” component. Fans are generally able to sort out the talent from the supporting cast. Why folks struggle doing this with QB is a post for another day.
Flavor
This is subjective. More personal taste than science. Who do you love watching run? It doesn’t get much better for me than Earl, Ricky, or Jamaal, but Eric Metcalf was an absolute pleasure. D’onta Foreman’s breakout year was a delight as well. Bijan has flavor to spare. It’s hard to take your eyes off of him between the lines. He’s a reward for the running back purist. Wicked cuts, a brutal stiff arm, change of pace, vision, great receiving ability. The only warts are blocking and top end speed.
Final Thoughts
Bijan has a very good chance of finishing his Texas career as a Top 5 all time running back. As a pure talent, I’d argue he’s already there. But the Horns will need to see more on the field in 2022 before elevating him to the august halls of the all-time legends.
How do you see it?
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