KANSAS CITY, Mo. — With the eighth pick in the NFL Draft, the Atlanta Falcons took Tucson native and running back Bijan Robinson on Thursday.

The former Salpointe Catholic High School star joins John Fina and Mike Dawson as Tucson products chosen in the first round of the draft; Robinson is the highest-selected Tucsonan in NFL Draft history.

Donning an all-black and elephant-printed suit, Robinson became the first Texas running back taken in the first round of the NFL Draft since fellow Doak Walker Award winner Cedric Benson in 2005.

Texas running back Bijan Robinson arrives on the red carpet before the first round of the NFL Draft, Thursday, April 27, 2023, in Kansas City, Mo.

Robinson’s NFL journey began in Tucson, playing for the Tucson Falcons and the Tucson Broncos of the Tucson Youth Football league, before he developed into a star at Salpointe Catholic High School. At Salpointe Catholic, Robinson was a back-to-back Ed Doherty Award winner for Arizona’s top high school football player, and the do-it-all running back ran for a big-school record 7,036 yards and 114 touchdowns.

After etching his name in Arizona football lore, Robinson took his talents to Austin, Texas, to play for the Longhorns.

Texas running back Bijan Robinson puts on a hat after being chosen by the Atlanta Falcons with the eighth overall pick during the first round of the NFL football draft, Thursday, April 27, 2023, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/John Locher)

“As good as he was on the field, the thing that makes him great and the totality of his greatness was everything he brought off the field,” former Salpointe coach Dennis Bene said. “He’s a kid of tremendous character, great work ethic, very grounded in his faith, he was a wonderful teammate and he was the face of our program. I’m very, very fortunate enough to have coached such a great individual.”

Off the field, Robinson capitalized on the NIL era in college sports and earned endorsement deals with Raising Cane’s and the Lamborghini dealership in Austin, among other brands, and founded a Dijon mustard chain, “Bijan Mustardson.”

In Robinson’s three-year stint at Texas, he ascended as one of the premiere, do-everything running backs in college football, rushing for 3,410 yards and 33 touchdowns while hauling in 60 catches for 805 yards and eight touchdowns.

Former Alabama quarterback Bryce Young, the top overall pick to the Carolina Panthers, told the Star he “played with Bijan for 7-on-7 (in high school), so I’m super familiar with his game.” Young quarterbacked the Crimson Tide to a win over Texas in Austin during the 2022 season.

“Watching him on film against a couple mutual opponents, when you get to see and witness that in person, it shows how special of an athlete he is,” Young said of Robinson. “The run game, the pass game, how dynamic he is with every touch, it’s crazy how much more it sticks out in person.”

Robinson declared for the NFL draft prior to Texas’ loss to Washington in the Alamo Bowl.

Texas running back Bijan Robinson poses with fans after being chosen by the Atlanta Falcons with the eighth overall pick during the first round of the NFL Draft in Kansas City.

During the pre-draft process, Robinson signed with Klutch Sports, an agency started by Rich Paul, who is the agent of NBA superstar LeBron James. Robinson’s agent, Nicole Lynn, who was the first Black woman to represent a player at the NFL Draft in 2019, also represents Philadelphia Eagles star quarterback Jalen Hurts and New York Jets defensive tackle Quinnen Williams.

With Robinson in Atlanta, he’ll lead a running back room that ranked 29th in the NFL in rushing yards last season. Other Falcons running backs include Tyler Allgeier and Cordarrelle Patterson.

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Contact sports producer Justin Spears at jspears@tucson.com. On Twitter: @JustinESports