THE MODERATOR: We're going to get started.
Q. Bijan, can you describe to us the feeling you had when you got selected number 8th overall here tonight?
BIJAN ROBINSON: Yeah, I mean, it's such an exciting feeling. Obviously, I've got to thank God for blessing me to be on the Falcons, man. I mean, it's super exciting. I'm speechless. But, man, I just can't wait to see what happens and how God blesses me with the program.
Q. How did you deal with the notion that the running back position had been devalued and you were hearing all this later stuff? How did you try to stay focused and hope you can go as high as you could?
BIJAN ROBINSON: Yeah, I mean, obviously I understand that the running back position has been looked at as a "less than" position, but, I mean, for me, obviously it's a blessing that I can get these guys even that are in college now that are great running backs seen and looked at the right way.
Obviously for me, being a guy that can play running back, play receiver, kind of be really versatile, it's an opportunity to do the same thing. It's definitely a blessing, and I'm happy to share it with those guys as well.
Q. Bijan, did you get any sense that you would be in the top ten? What was your thought process going into tonight?
BIJAN ROBINSON: Obviously I was just relying on my faith and wherever I ended up, whether it was top ten or, you know, first round, you just never know, a guy that's a running back or in my position, where I can end up.
For me it's just like really exciting to end up being here, and obviously it's a great team that I'm about to go to and with great guys.
I'm just so excited, man. I'm just over here speechless (laughing).
Q. What's the sense you get of where you'll fit in in this conference, because between you and Pitts and London and Ridder and Allgeier, everybody is kind of (indiscernible) rookie conference. Where do you think you fit in you think?
BIJAN ROBINSON: Obviously, the offense is really good with really good talent. For me I just want to be a piece in that offense, man, and do as much as I can no matter where they line me up at.
I'm just trying to help the offense. Obviously help the whole team. You know, make us the team that we are. I know that the rushing attack is really, really good, with a really good running back already.
Man, I just want to go in there and learn from him and be a good teammate, and hopefully we can make something special happen out of it.
Q. I wonder what were your conversations like with the Falcons throughout the draft process, and at any point in those did you get the sense that they particularly liked you?
BIJAN ROBINSON: Yeah. I mean, absolutely. All the conversations that we had, I mean, they were always super solid, super great. Even to talk to them even when they came down to Austin, you know, we had an amazing time talking about scheme, what could happen, what we can do.
When we were getting to really know each other, obviously they're all great, great guys to work with. I mean, I'm just really happy that they took me and that they gave me a chance to make something happen.
Q. Was that visit in Austin the longest talks you had with them, the longest conversations you had with them?
BIJAN ROBINSON: Yes, sir. Yes, sir. It was a visit where they came down. I guess you could call it a workout, but it was a super great opportunity to be with them and to meet with them and to show them what I got. I mean, it was just pretty amazing.
Q. Who from the Falcons was in those meetings?
BIJAN ROBINSON: The GM, head coach, offensive coordinator, and then the strength coach, the player personnel guy.
Q. I don't know how many mock drafts you looked at. You could have driven yourself crazy over the last couple of weeks, but a lot of them increasingly were finding a fit between you and the Falcons. Did you look at that? Did you get excited about that possibility seeming to be a fit?
BIJAN ROBINSON: Yeah. I mean, absolutely. For me I tried not to look at all the mock drafts just because all that stuff can kind of get to your head. Obviously, you really don't know until the day happens, but when they mocked me to the Falcons, obviously I didn't know.
I knew it could be a great fit if it was to happen, which it did happen. I mean, I just thank God for it, man, because this is a great place to be.
Now that all the mock drafts are over with, now that we're here, I'm just really happy to be here.
Q. Did you have any Atlanta connections? Have you spent any time in the city?
BIJAN ROBINSON: My great-uncle lives there, and he loves it there. He tells me all the time, Man, what if you came to Atlanta? I'm, like, We're going to have to see.
But now that I'm there, it will be pretty cool to spend some time with him.
Q. What are kind of your emotions as you are going across the stage? They had that little thing where you looked in the mirror and put on the hat. Take us inside that moment.
BIJAN ROBINSON: That was such a great moment. Even just looking in the mirror and just being, like, man, bro, Bijan, you are a Falcon, man. It was pretty special.
The hat was a little big. My head is a little big, so I was trying to fit it on as much as I can, but just to know that I'm here and even seeing the fans after I got off the stage and how happy and excited they were just made me so much more excited to want to be a part, and I just can't wait.
Q. Just one more question. Arthur Smith's offense, how much do you know about it and kind of how he has this run-first mentality?
BIJAN ROBINSON: Yeah. I mean, it's obviously great. Obviously I will love to be a part of that for what he has and how he wants to use me as a player. It's really exciting. Especially because he had guys like Derrick Henry. Now that he is here, it's going to be pretty cool to see how he uses me and with the rest of the guys on the offense.
Q. At the combine I think you said that you had talked with the coaching staff here and had a great time. You talked about it here. What kind of project did they present to you when you met with them?
BIJAN ROBINSON: Yeah, I mean, obviously they're going to try to use me to my full potential, whether it's catch the ball out of the back field, line up in the slot area, or in the slot position, I'm sorry, and then obviously running back, but just use the skill set in the most way that they can and just let me get with mismatches and use my God-given talent to do the rest.
But that's pretty much how we talked, and it was just great to hear. I love to hear it.
Q. Coach Sarkisian had talked about making his receivers mad because he put you in the slot so much.
BIJAN ROBINSON: Yeah.
Q. Where did you learn how to work out of the slot? In high school or college?
BIJAN ROBINSON: Yeah, yeah.
Q. The receiver qualities out of the slot.
BIJAN ROBINSON: Yep, yep. So for me I played a lot of seven-on-seven throughout my middle school and high school career. I played strictly receiver during that time. I didn't play no running back. I was a straight receiver.
So, I mean, we joke around. I mean, I don't know if we joke around because I think it's true, but with the receivers at Texas, and I say that I have the best hands on the team, but I always joke with those guys and just kind of get them mad a little bit.
Obviously those are my dudes, but yeah, I take pride in catching the football too, just as much as running the ball and blocking. I think that if you are a complete player, it just makes the most sense.
Q. Just a clerical thing. Your great-uncle who lives in Atlanta, is that Paul who played in the league?
BIJAN ROBINSON: No, no, no, that's not him. It's on my grandma's side.
Q. Just wanted to make sure on that. Also, I don't know if you saw, but KD tweeted congratulations to you already. Do you have a relationship with him, or is that just kind of him being a Texas guy?
BIJAN ROBINSON: Yeah, yeah. Me and him, we'll see each other, and we'll obviously chop it up. I respect him a lot. We respect each other as athletes and especially as people.
I mean, that dude is the most solid dude as it gets, but yeah, we both represent Texas as much as we can, and he is obviously a legend in his craft and in his game, and I just respect him to the highest.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports