Bijan Robinson started the summer of this, his senior year, with 21 Division I offers and he whittled those down to Ohio State and Texas in the beginning of July. Though most experts had Robinson leaning towards the Buckeyes, Robinson chose the Texas Longhorns on Friday afternoon.
“This moment is one I’ve dreamt of my entire life,” Robinson announced on his Instagram feed. “We all dream of things, but God, thank you for helping me see this dream become a reality. The process of choosing only one school to spend the next chapter of this reality, wasn’t easy.”
Robinson was under some pressure to attend the University of Arizona, not only as a “hometown” favorite, but also due to the legacy his great uncle Paul Robinson left with the Wildcats as a track and football standout before heading off to play pro football where he earned AFL Rookie of the Year honors.
Robinson was also under pressure to attend Ohio State due to the commitment of his seemingly lifelong teammate, Lathan Ransom. Ransom committed to the Buckeyes two weeks ago and the two standouts grew up playing together in youth football circles before joining each other at Salpointe.
“The last few months was more than just choosing a school. To me, it was a crossroad that could change the direction of my life, and my future. It was a decision that I couldn’t make on my own, or even with my family, but one I had to exclusively make with the help of God. I am forever grateful for every coach and organization for hosting my family and I, the recruiting process was one that I will never forget.”
Robinson rushed for 2,400 yards and 35 TDs last year even though he missed a game. With 4,801 career rushing yards, Robinson is only 1,077 yards away from the Big School Record (5,878/Marcus Thomas/Tolleson/2000-2002) and 2,643 yards away from the state record (7,544/Casey Jahn/Northwest Christian/2008-2011).
Robinson was also named the “Ed Doherty Player of the Year” after his junior season. The award is handed out to the top player in the state.
His cousin, Kia Moore, played softball for UTEP, his cousin, Jamir Moore, played football for South Dakota School of Mines, his uncle, Anthony Moore, played football for San Jose State. His grandfather, Cleo Robinson, is a Southern Arizona sports legend who attended Marana High School during the championship era of the mid 1960’s before setting track records at NAU. Cleo Robinson has been a longtime high school and Division I referee.
“Thank you to every single individual who has helped me along this journey,” Bijan Robinson added. “My family, my coaches, and the good ol’ city of Tucson. I feel and experience your love and support every single day, and I do not take it for granted.
“I am excited to announce, that I will continue to grow as a man, student, and athlete, at The University of Texas at Austin.”
FOLLOW @ANDYMORALES8 ON TWITTER!
Andy Morales was recognized by the AIA as the top high school reporter in 2014 and he was awarded the Ray McNally Award in 2017 and he has been a youth, high school and college coach for over 30 years. His own children have won multiple state high school championships and were named to all-state teams. Competing in hockey, basketball, baseball and track & field in high school, his unique perspective can only be found here and on AZPreps365.com. Andy is the Southern Arizona voting member of the Ed Doherty Award, recognizing the top football player in Arizona, and he was named a Local Hero by the Tucson Weekly for 2016. Contact Andy Morales at amoralesmytucson@yahoo.com
Recommended for you
