Texas running back Bijan Robinson, left, poses with NFL commissioner Roger Goodell after being chosen by the Atlanta Falcons with the eighth overall pick during the first round of the NFL Draft on Thursday in Kansas City.

 Jeff Roberson, Associated Press

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Life can be roundabout sometimes. 

One day you're playing for the Tucson Falcons, then in the blink of an eye, you're shaking NFL commissioner Roger Goodell's hand on stage and posing for photos with a custom jersey at Union Station after the Atlanta Falcons selected you with the eighth overall pick in the NFL Draft. That was Bijan Robinson's reality on Thursday. 

Robinson, the former Salpointe Catholic and Texas Longhorns star running back was drafted by the Falcons at No. 8 overall and became the highest-selected Tucson native in NFL Draft history, passing former Tucson High Badger Mike Dawson, who was taken 22nd overall in 1979.

As a youngster, Robinson played for the Tucson Falcons of the Tucson Youth Football League. Now he's playing for the "Dirty Birds" in Atlanta. Robinson also helped Tucson Turf Elite, a local 7-on-7 program, win the Pylon national championship at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta as a soon-to-be high school senior in the summer of 2019. 

"First of all, I gotta give it all to God, just for bringing me here, man, and bringing me on the team. It's such a blessing to be here on this team and to see how I can contribute and to use my skill sets that I've been blessed with," Robinson said. "I'm so excited to get going and to show the city of Atlanta what's being cooked up." 

Atlanta Falcons first-round draft pick Bijan Robinson speaks at his introductory news conference at the team’s training facility in Flowery Branch, Ga., on Friday.

Like every team during the pre-draft process, the Falcons had a pod of players they eyed for the franchise's eighth pick and met with several of them. But Robinson made an indelible impression on Atlanta coach Arthur Smith during a visit in Austin, Texas. Robinson held a private workout and meeting with the Falcons, then went to dinner with Smith and Falcons defensive lineman and ex-Longhorn Ta'Quon Smith, who "got the biggest rib I've ever seen in my entire life," at Terry Black's BBQ," Smith said. 

"I mean, this thing looked like a dinosaur rib," he added.

Between bites, Smith learned more about Robinson. The more Smith learned, the more he loved. 

"Those interactions, it's real, it's genuine and it's not one of these phony, 'Hey, I'm made for Instagram or whatever social media, I'm going to look good,' then the guy is a complete fraud," Smith said. "This kid is authentic, he's real and he's got a unique story."

Alongside Smith, Falcons general manager Terry Fontenot coined Robinson "a true professional" during his post-draft news conference on Thursday. 

"When you put on the tape, he's the best player on the field, and he's been like that for a long time in his life," Fontenot said of Robinson. "When you meet the person and put the total picture together — we like to bring in guys who are going to make people around them better as well, and he is. The competitor he is, the person he is, we're really excited." 

Despite the plethora of NFL mock drafts that projected Robinson, who visited the Philadelphia Eagles and Tampa Buccaneers leading up to Thursday, to land at No. 10 overall or later, the Falcons used the eighth pick on him. He wasn't expecting an Atlanta area code to call him. 

"It was in the moment," Robinson said. "I was just sitting there, phone was on my lap and it just rung. I was like, 'Oh, shoot, this is Atlanta.' It was such an exciting moment just to see where I'm going to be playing at. I can't describe how amazing it feels. To see my family happy, it's great." 

Texas running back Bijan Robinson and his family pose on the NFL Draft red carpet,

'Home run hitter'

Time to address the elephant in the room — and not Robinson's all-black, elephant skin-printed suit he wore with a custom "BR" diamond chain during draft night: Why did Atlanta, which ranked third in the NFL in rushing last season, draft a running back with its top-10 pick despite blatant needs on a rebuilding defense, especially with how devalued the position has become in the first round of the NFL Draft? Plus, the Falcons drafted Tyler Allgeier, who rushed for 1,035 yards as a rookie, in 2022. 

Smith said Robinson's pass-catching ability and Swiss Army Knife skills out of the backfield were "a big part of it." 

"We just feel like he's an explosive weapon," Smith said. "He's a home run hitter however he gets the football in his hands.

"Some of the things we're going to ask him to do, you see it on the tape. We knew his background, not just as a running back; the running back stuff was obvious on the tape. But the versatility part, where you use him and where he's been effective, he did that at Texas at times."

Added Smith: "Just another explosive player added to our offense. We're fired up that we're able to get him at (No.) 8."

Robinson, a Doak Walker Award winner, is the first running back drafted in the top 10 since Saquon Barkley in 2018. Robinson and ex-Alabama running back Jahmyr Gibbs, who was drafted No. 12 overall to the Detroit Lions, are the first pair of running backs taken in the first 15 picks since the 2017 draft, which produced Leonard Fournette and Christian McCaffrey. 

Both Robinson and Gibbs played integral roles in their respective programs' passing attack. In three seasons at Texas, Robinson had 805 receiving yards and eight touchdowns, along with 3,410 rushing yards and 33 rushing touchdowns; Gibbs had 1,212 receiving yards and eight touchdowns while also rushing for 2,132 yards and 15 touchdowns between his time at Alabama and Georgia Tech. Robinson said two running backs drafted in the opening half of the first round "shows the value that it holds."

"I think for guys coming after us and for guys that are running backs, (we want) to show how their value is worth something and just do it the right way and know how to use their skill sets fully," Robinson said. "To see there are two guys who went (No.) 8 and (No.) 12, that's such a blessing."

Regarding expectations for his first season in the NFL, Robinson said he doesn't feel any pressure "at all."

"That's a testament to what I believe in with my faith. I know God blessed me to be with this team right here at this spot. For me, pressure is not a thing when I know I'm supposed to be here," he said. "For me, this is a game. ... When that pressure comes in, that's when your thoughts get cloudy and your mind gets clogged up in that. For me it's just a great opportunity, and I can't wait to get it going." 

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.

Learning, connecting

The 5-11, 215-pound Robinson also said Smith "wants to use my skill sets fully and to line me up wherever the mismatches are and get me out into open space and do things the right way. ... I know it's going to be pretty special." 

As a rookie, Robinson will shoulder a "quiet, lead-by-example" role with the Falcons.  

"But I'm a dude that'll talk to all my teammates, try to learn who they are as people, just so we can connect on a different level, because I think that's important to want to be a great teammate," Robinson said. "Obviously for me, I'm a rookie coming in, so I'm just trying to learn as much as I can from the vets and guys who've done it before me, because I think when I do that, then I can lead as a player in the future. I'm just trying to be a sponge and obviously compete as hard as I can to be on the big stage." 

Robinson is slated to earn $21.9 million over the next four years, according to Spotrac.com. His unalloyed generosity and selflessness shined through during his final press briefing on draft night. 

"It feels great. For me personally, I try to do things the right way and make an impact in the city, whether it's for charities or for kids, I want people to see me as a guy who brings positivity in my on-field play, but what I can do off the field as well for the city of Atlanta," Robinson said. "I'm really excited to see what happens when I get there, and I can't wait to get started.

"They're getting a player who is super relentless, that loves competition and loves to play the game — that has fun playing it.

"People say that you should think about this game like a job. Yeah, it's a business, but for me, I'm just having fun. If I've been blessed to do it, I'm going to do it the right way and do as much as we can team-wise. That's the kind of player they're getting."

Tucson native and former Texas running back Bijan Robinson was taken eighth overall by the Atlanta Falcons in the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft on Thursday. (Video by Justin Spears / Arizona Daily Star)

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