Bijan Robinson should have been a Sun Devil.
Atlanta comes to the Valley on Sunday. Robinson was the eighth overall pick in last April’s draft by the Falcons — an in-state star from Salpointe High School in Tucson who should have been a Sun Devil.
Calling the Wayback Machine back in 2018, my Sports360az teammates Eric Sorenson and Jordan Hamm started raving about a running back in Tucson who would be a big deal. Of course, they ended up being right. Bijan would finish his high school career in Arizona with over 7,000 rushing yards and a state record 114 touchdowns. He on average more than 13 yards per carry. He ran over 2,000 meters three years in a row. Stupid numbers. Here’s a look at the highlights our team gathered about Robinson from his high school career in Salpointe.
My first face-to-face interaction with Robinson was at a National Football Foundation event in December 2019. I was the master of ceremonies and was impressed with the way Robinson worked in the room before we go on stage. I haven’t seen many high school athletes be as composed as Robinson was that day. I asked him off stage why he decided to leave Arizona State for college. He was professional and courteous in our conversation without going into too much detail.
Visiting several people involved in the process, the Sun Devils had recruited him very well, but pulled an assistant to visit Robinson in Tucson. Instead, that coach went to Ohio to recruit another running back, Chip Trayanum. It was the end for Arizona State and the Bijan Robinson competition. Unfathomable.
Yes, Bijan Robinson should have been a Sun Devil…
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