Top draft analyst makes his pitch for Eagles to draft Bijan Robinson originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia
Daniel Jeremiah knows it’s not likely.
In fact, he classified it as a move that would be a “shocker” on the latest Takeoff with John Clark podcast.
Get top local stories in Philly delivered to you every morning. >Sign up for NBC Philadelphia's News Headlines newsletter.
But he still wants to see it.
The NFL Network’s top draft analyst is a former NFL scout and worked for the Eagles under Howie Roseman. Jeremiah knows how unlikely it is that they draft Bijan Robinson with the No. 10 overall pick. But he feels like he can make a pretty strong case for doing it.
What would his pitch be to Roseman?
“I would just say, look, with running backs, I get it,” Jeremiah said. “It doesn’t work for everybody and it’s not right for everybody. But at this point in time, with where we are as a team, with where we happen to be picking courtesy of a trade, and what the construct of this draft is, I think it’s the right pick.
“I think he’s the third-best player in this draft. I don’t think it’s a huge opportunity cost. In other words, I don’t think you’re not taking a Micah Parsons or a Rashawn Slater or Ja’Marr Chase or whoever else. I don’t think those options are there where they’re picking. I think there are good solid players. He’s an elite player. So every single one of his carries will matter. You will not waste any of his … even if you say he has a six-year shelf-life. Five years and a franchise tag and then you move on. This is their window. Their window is right now to win. So I think you maximize his entire career.”
The only players Jeremiah has ranked above Robinson in this draft are QB Bryce Young and edge rusher Will Anderson. Jeremiah has Tyree Wilson and Jalen Carter behind Robinson.
Robinson, 21, was a star at Texas and is going to be a first-round pick to some team. He has 4.46 speed, rushed for over 1,500 yards in 2021 and has three-down ability as a receiver.
The Eagles haven’t drafted a running back in the first round since Keith Byars in the 1986 draft. Since Roseman became the Eagles’ GM in 2010, they have selected eight running backs. Miles Sanders was a second-round pick in 2019 and the rest were drafted in the fourth round or later.
So drafting Robinson at No. 10 overall would be quite a philosophical departure. Because of that, Jeremiah doesn’t expect it to happen.
But he enjoys thinking about what the Eagles’ offense would look like with Robinson taking handoffs from Jalen Hurts.
“I could make a case that if you are the Eagles right now, there should only be one team that you’re concerned with in the NFC and that’s the 49ers,” Jeremiah said. “So you are building your team to compete and beat the 49ers. Those are the two teams who are clearly the class of the NFC and I don’t see that changing anytime soon. And you would have your Christian McCaffrey to offset their Christian McCaffrey. And, man, it would be fun.”
