The college football season in Texas starts a week earlier than normal with a Week 0 matchup between North Texas and UTEP. To celebrate us making it through another off-season, we’re counting down the 50 most important players in Texas every day until Aug. 27. The list isn’t necessarily about which players are the best, though talent plays a major factor in most important.

No. 1: Bijan Robinson, Texas junior running back 

The History

Robinson was a five-star recruit in the 2020 class who signed with the Longhorns over Ohio State mostly because of his relationship with then running backs coach Stan Drayton. Robinson left his home state of Arizona as its all-time touchdown leader with 114 and its all-time leading rusher with 7,036 yards. He was also the only player in Arizona prep history to top 2,000 rushing yards in three consecutive seasons. All that without playing four quarters in most games with Salpointe holding big leads in most games. 

Robinson played in nine games in 2021 and started the final six contests of the year in Tom Herman’s final season on the 40 Acres. Robinson was an All-Big 12 honorable mention selection after carrying the ball 86 times for a team-high 703 yards and four scores. Texas was 5-1 in the six games he started, leaving most onlookers confused as to why he wasn’t injected into the starting lineup sooner. He also caught 15 passes for 196 yards and a pair of scores out of the backfield. He averaged a school-record 8.2 yards a carry in 2020. 

He became the focal point of Texas’ offense when Steve Sarkisian took over. Robinson was a first-team All-Big 12 selection after the 2021 season by the coaches and the Associated Press despite missing the final two games of the season due to injury. He rushed for 1,127 yards and 11 scores, adding 295 yards and four more touchdowns on 26 receptions. 

The Skillset 

Balance. Power. Speed. There’s not much Robinson can’t do with the ball in his hands and his talent reminds many of great Longhorn running backs such as Cedric Benson and Ricky Williams. He’s not a burner like Jamaal Charles, but Robinson is one of the hardest players to tackle in recent college football memory. His feet create art on nearly every carry. He’s rarely knocked off balance, and he’s rarely tackled by one player. The 6-0, 220-pound Robinson is also an excellent receiver out of the backfield. He’s big enough to handle a 20+ carry load, and explosive enough to create big plays as a rusher and a receiver. He’s the most talented running back in college football and a future first or second round NFL draft pick. The only thing keeping him from a sure-fire first round grade is the hesitancy by most teams to pick a running back that high in the draft considering their short shelf lives. 

The Impact 

Robinson leads by example and the Longhorns need as many positive leaders as possible as Sarkisian tries to turn Texas around after a 5-7 season and 12+ seasons of average football. Robinson was an Academic All-Big 12 First Team member in 2021 and is a two-time member of the Big 12 Commissioner’s Honor Roll. He’s also the best football player on the team. He’s the model for how college athletes should work, and he’s been rewarded off the field with several NIL deals, including one from Lamborghini. Robinson makes the entire team better when he's on the field. The offensive line doesn’t have to block perfectly to Robinson to gain big chunks of yards. The wide receivers get 1-on-1 coverage because opponents must put eight men in the box. He’s also a reliable check-down option for the quarterback when there is pressure or everyone else is covered. Robinson is the best football player in Texas and worthy of the No. 1 spot on the 2022 Lone Star 50. Texas might struggle to reach eight wins in 2022 with Robinson in the backfield, but it doesn’t have a shot of reaching a bowl game without him. 

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