The Atlanta Falcons drafting Bijan Robinson with the eighth pick in the 2023 NFL Draft poured hefty expectations on him. The star running back out of Texas now has even been compared to stars like LaDanian Tomlinson by talent evaluators.

Comparing any running back, especially a rookie, to LT is bound to draw scrutiny. He was one of the best running backs of all time and put up numbers that may never be seen again. But to the man himself, the comparisons are deserved, according to Josh Kendall of The Athletic. He sees the Falcons' rookie as a tremendous talent.

“I think the comparisons are fair,” Tomlinson said, via The Athletic. “All the things that I’ve heard about in terms of him being compared to me, I can see that. Being able to catch it, being able to run inside, outside, being able to block, being able to do all these different things where you’re not taken off the football field. The one thing about it is … you also have to have the stamina. You have to be able to handle the workload. That’s why I think it is fair because he’s proven all those things.”

Robinson is in for a big rookie season with a super young offense that features budding stars like Kyle Pitts and Drake London. The Falcons will have a lot to figure out but they will have a load of talent to work with. Robinson has Tyler Allgeier to lean on as Desmond Ridder steps into the QB1 role.

Especially with the growing trend of not expending massive resources on running backs, Robinson is in rare territory. Being a running back drafted in the first round means that you have to be super productive to be worth the pick. But Robinson seems prepared to withstand all the pressure that will come with his role.

Preparation is a non-negotiable key to succeeding in the NFL and Robinson seems to already know it. On top of that, he has immense talent. If LaDanian Tomlinson is saying that you’re pretty good, the odds of becoming a star seem to be in your favor.