Remember last time the NY Giants used a first-round pick on a head-turning running back? Of course you do. Dave Gettleman decided to use the No. 2 overall pick on Saquon Barkley, which plenty of people still disagree with. However, after the year Barkley just had, he has reminded people of how explosive he can be.
With that said, it’s completely up in the air if Barkley will be back or not. A lot depends on whether or not the Giants are able to re-sign Daniel Jones to a multi-year deal, but the growing feeling is that he’ll be placed on the non-exclusive franchise tag.
If that were to happen, it likely will result in Barkley heading to free agency, which would suck to see. At the same time, general manager Joe Schoen appears to have a potential plan B in mind: Texas RB Bijan Robinson, who very well could still be available at No. 25 overall.
Texas RB Bijan Robinson has met with the Giants here at the scouting combine.
— Ralph Vacchiano (@RalphVacchiano) March 4, 2023
He has not met with the Cowboys, nor is he scheduled to meet with them. pic.twitter.com/cVh7qQzyOV
NY Giants met with Texas RB Bijan Robinson at the NFL Combine
Robinson is easily considered the top RB prospect for the 2023 draft class, as the young man is a freak of nature. He was downright electric for the Longhorns, putting on a show throughout the ’22 campaign. This past fall for Texas, the 6-0, 220-pound Robinson recorded 1,580 rushing yards and 18 touchdowns, averaging an impressive 6.1 yards per carry.
Robinson has fantastic speed for his size and he’s truly a difficult runner to bring down. He was superb at the NFL Combine too, which has plenty of experts thinking he could end up being a Top 15 pick. However, a lot of analysts remain hesitant on taking a RB early on in the draft.
This very well could lead to Robinson falling to late in the first round, where Schoen and Co. would have a tough decision if he’s still on the board. All of this will be meaningless if Barkley is either tagged or signs a new contract with the Giants.
Unfortunately, there’s the possibility that both those options don’t go down, which could open the door for Robinson to make his way to East Rutherford later this year. The Giants have been linked with several wide receivers for their first pick, but Robinson would most definitely be an intriguing option as well.
5 major NY Giants takeaways from the NFL Combine thus far
NY Giants general manager Joe Schoen is a busy man, as fans continue waiting to see what happens with Daniel Jones, Saquon Barkley and more.