Rookie running back Brian Robinson was a 4-Star recruit out of Tuscaloosa, Alabama with offers to Georgia, Auburn, Cincinnati, and Alabama. He ultimately decided to stay home and play for the Crimson Tide where he would join a stacked running back room that included Najee Harris, Josh Jacobs, Damien Harris, and fellow rookie Jerome Ford.
Robinson joined the Tide back in 2017 and waited in the wings for his time to shine. His patience paid off in 2021 when he was given the lead-back role. He hit the ground running and finished the year with 1,633 total yards and 16 touchdowns. Robinson’s performance rewarded him with a Day 2 selection in the 2022 NFL Draft to the Washington Commanders.
Alabama Running Backs
Alabama is an NFL talent factory, and the running back position is no exception. The following is a list of running backs from Alabama selected in the 3rd Round or earlier in the past decade:
- Trent Richardson (2012)
- Eddie Lacy (2013)
- TJ Yeldon (2015)
- Kenyan Drake (2016)
- Derrick Henry (2016)
- Damien Harris (2019)
- Josh Jacobs (2019)
- Najee Harris (2021)
- Brian Robinson (2022)
Each of those players, other than TJ Yeldon, has at least one Top-14 finish in their career.
The Washington Backfield
Robinson is joining 2020 3rd Round pick, Antonio Gibson, in the backfield. Gibson is a dynamic play-maker, but he is one of the worst in the league at pass protection, ball security, and is frequently injured. Going into the 2021 season, Gibson ranked dead last in pass protection, per PFF. Gibson has also struggled with ball security, finishing with the most fumbles in the NFL for a running back with six in 2021. Through two seasons in the NFL, Gibson has landed on the injury report nearly six times per season.
It’s also worth mentioning that in addition to Gibson, JD McKissic decided to return to Washington. That’s despite getting an offer from the Buffalo Bills where he could’ve had a shot to win a Super Bowl in the near future, choosing to stay in Washington says a lot. In 2020 McKissic had 110 targets, the most in the NFL for all running backs. Last year he caught 43 of 53 targets, despite playing in just 11 games.
It is evident the Commanders do not feel confident in Gibson, which is why they brought in Robinson who is excellent in all departments. Throughout his entire time at Alabama, he only had two fumbles. He was also noted as being one of the best pass-blocking backs in the class. Robinson is also very durable, not missing a single game at Alabama.
Robinson is a North-South runner with alpha size. At 6’2 224 pounds with an 85th percentile speed score, he is an imposing force to defenders. Robinson should be the thunder to Gibson’s lightning and offers league-winning upside in the event of an injury.
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