It feels like it’s been three straight weeks of celebrations for Texas Longhorn fans, with their favorite team picking up commitment after commitment in the months of June and July.
We’re only two days into the month of August, and Texas just picked up what may be its best commitment of the 2020 class, with Rivals100 running back Bijan Robinson announcing moments ago he had committed to the Longhorns.
The commitment of Robinson caps a bit of a rollercoaster recruitment that saw Texas as a virtual non-factor very early on, only to see the Longhorns surge to the front of the line after Robinson visited for the Orange-White game in April. After a round of official visits in June, it was Ohio State that appeared to be the runaway leader to land the Tucson (AZ) Salpointe standout, only to see Texas close with a flourish at the stretch and ultimately claim the win on Monday.
For most observers, the late change of momentum was a bit of an unexpected turn.
“Even after Atlanta (at the Five-Star Challenge), it was almost like Ohio State was the foregone winner,” said Rivals.com recruiting analyst Adam Gorney, who has covered Robinson’s recruitment closely for several years. “He basically said he was very serious about other schools but Ohio State held an edge. But as it got closer, I think the realization that he would basically be going across the country to play football kind of set in. He really, really liked Texas and USC a lot, had connections to both school, liked the staff and how they would use him, and wound up finding a school closer to home that he’s very happy with.”
At 6-1 and 205 pounds, Robinson is a do-it-all back who excels in just about every way imaginable. He can make guys miss, shows great quickness, can finish runs and has terrific skills as a pass catcher. It’s his overall game that Gorney said is most impressive and is the reason Robinson is pushing for five-star status in the Rivals.com rankings.
“I think the most important thing is that he’s a very versatile running back,” Gorney said. “He put up huge number during his junior year running the football, but he showed this summer at the Five-Star Challenge, he can catch the ball but also move out of the backfield and line up in the slot, be a threat that way. He showed he can beat some of the best DBs in the country, and the best linebackers. Texas is getting a really versatile running back, not just a guy who can run between the tackles.”
Robinson rushed for 2,400 yards and 36 touchdowns on just 170 carries last year (14.1 yards per carry). He also topped the 2,000-yard mark as a sophomore.
Salpointe head coach Dennis Bene said there’s a lot to like about Robinson as a player, saying he has the best hands at the running back position Bene has ever seen. More than that, Bene said Robinson is a high-character individual who will be an asset on the field, in the locker room and in the community.
“I would argue he’s the best receiving running back in the country. He’s hands are unbelievable. I’ve never seen a kid with hands like him at the running back position,” Bene said. “In today’s spread offenses, he’s a perfect back.
“He’s a very humble kid. Very grounded in his faith. He’s a super teammate. He’s obviously achieved a lot of success and earned a lot of accolades, but he never, ever talks about himself. Obviously he has individual goals he’d like to achieve, but he always puts winnings and championships and the team first. I’ve always admired his approach. It’s never been about him. He’s extremely well-respected by the adults on our campus, which speaks a lot to the character and the type of humility he displays as a young person.”
A four-star prospect, Robinson ranks No. 26 on the Rivals100. He’s the nation’s No. 4-ranked running back prospect in the 2020 class.
Robinson becomes the Longhorns’ 12th commitment in the 2020 cycle. He not only continues an impressive recruiting run that has seen Texas stockpile pledges in recent weeks, he continues an impressive run of the Longhorns’ having recruiting success in Arizona. In the 2019 class, Texas signed wide receiver Jake Smith and tight end Liebrock. In the 2020 class, Texas will continue its pursuit of five-star cornerback Kelee Ringo to go along with Robinson’s commitment.
