2023 NFL Draft: Bryce Young v. Bijan Robinson Headlines Star-Studded Matchup Between Alabama and Texas

Legendary coach Nick Saban and the Alabama Crimson Tide head to the Lone Star State to square off against Steve Sarkisian and the Texas Longhorns. The matchup is guaranteed to have implications on the 2023 NFL Draft.

Nick Saban has been linked to the Texas Longhorns multiple times over the past decade, but these rumors seemingly have been put to rest for good this time. With Saban locked into a long-term deal to remain in Tuscaloosa, it looks as though he will finish his career with the Tide.

Steve Sarkisian, a former head coach for the Washington Huskies and USC Trojans, is currently ushering in a new era at Texas. Sarkisian dealt with off-the-field personal issues before ultimately landing on his feet with Alabama as an offensive coordinator for the 2019 and 2020 seasons.

Sarkisian helped Mac Jones grow into a first-round 2021 NFL Draft pick, all the while assisting in the team’s successful effort to become national champions in 2020. Following his championship run, Sarkisian was tabbed as the next head coach for the Texas Longhorns.

The 2021 season couldn’t have turned out differently for the two programs. The Longhorns limped to a 5-7 record, failing to even qualify for a bowl appearance. Alabama won the SEC and found itself playing for a national championship yet again.

Georgia cut the run short, finally exercising their demons and beating Alabama when it mattered the most. Now, both Alabama and Texas enter the 2022 season with sky-high expectations.

Texas made waves around the country when they landed former No. 1 overall recruit, Quinn Ewers, to play quarterback in Austin. Ewers transferred from Ohio State after losing the quarterback battle to top 2023 NFL Draft prospect — CJ Stroud.

“The Mullet”, as he’s affectionately known, played well in the team’s 42-point opening week victory, tossing two touchdowns and flashing his immense potential. It’s not often that a quarterback encapsulates a fan base as much as Ewers does with Texas.

Alabama opened its 2022 season with a home game against Utah State. They blanked the Aggies in a 55-0 beatdown, barely breaking a sweat. Bryce Young followed up his Heisman-winning campaign with a performance that reminded everyone why he won the award in the first place.

Young threw five touchdown passes, utilizing his new stable of receivers featuring Georgia transfer Jermaine Burton and youngster Traeshon Holden, both of whom caught two touchdowns a piece.

Young also showcased his elite athleticism, recording 100 yards on the ground and adding a rushing touchdown to bring his total to six in the game. Humble brag, but these are the type of numbers that I used to put up on the old NCAA football games.

I’d like to say that the Longhorns will bring more resistance on the defensive side of the ball, but I’m not sure there’s anything they’ll be able to do about Bryce Young. He is impossible to game plan against due to his high football IQ and god-given physical ability.

Speaking of which, let’s talk about the best player on the Texas roster — running back Bijan Robinson. Robinson is an NFL running back right now, and this is not hyperbole. It is a near-unanimous belief that Robinson could have been an exception to the “three years removed from high school” NFL Draft rule.

As a true freshman in 2020, Robinson burst onto the scene with his NFL-sized frame and speed. Over the final six games, the gifted ball carrier posted 636 rushing yards (8.8 yards-per-carry) and four touchdowns.

He got even better the next season. In 10 games, Robinson recorded 1127 rushing yards and 11 touchdowns. He also hauled in 26 passes, scoring on four of those receptions and showing NFL Draft scouts that he’s capable of doing anything out of the backfield.

During a five-game span in the middle of the season, Robinson surpassed 125 rushing yards in each contest. Some of the runs that Robinson had in 2021 were reminiscent of prime Marshawn Lynch runs.

Robinson put up 216 rushing yards in dominant fashion against Big-12 rivals, the TCU Horned Frogs. His highlight reel from that game contains more jaw-dropping plays than most college running backs have in their entire career.

One thing I can assure you is that Alabama is not afraid of Bijan Robinson. Knowing the way everyone is wired in that program, they’re definitely looking forward to slowing the momentum of the star running back.

In Robinson’s only game versus an SEC opponent in 2021, he failed to reach four yards-per-carry in a loss against the Arkansas Razorbacks. There is more context needed, as the offensive line did not play well, but just on the surface, it’s worth mentioning.

This year Alabama’s defense should put itself in contention to be the best defense that Nick Saban has ever led in Tuscaloosa. It’s nothing new to see NFL players all over the field for Alabama, but the 2022 defense has a chance to send as many as ten players to the 2023 NFL Draft.

Will Anderson Jr. and Dallas Turner will be flying off the edge all day Saturday, attempting to corral Bijan Robinson behind the line of scrimmage. Both the offensive line and Robinson will have their work cut out for them to prevent this from happening.

On the flip side, the Longhorn’s defense is going to have their hands full with Bryce Young and the Alabama offense. While they may not possess a game-breaking wide receiver like years prior, this group is as deep as there has been at Alabama.

Nick Saban is 25-2 all-time against his former assistants. Both losses came in the 2021 season as Jimbo Fisher and Texas A&M upset Alabama in the regular season and Kirby Smart led his Georgia Bulldogs past the Tide in the National Championship.

If you’re an Alabama fan, you likely see this as a fluke. If you’re a Texas fan, you see this as a potential sign of things to come. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder after all.

Alabama opens the game as 20.5-point favorites against the Longhorns on most betting sites. This tells you which side of the equation that Vegas is expecting to see happen on Saturday.

Bryce Young and Bijan Robinson will never be on the field at the same time this weekend, but make no mistake, they are the reason that many will tune in. Young has a chance to be the first quarterback taken in the 2023 NFL Draft, and as of today, it would be a stunner if Robinson wasn’t the first running back taken.

With Texas heading to the SEC in the near future, we need to get used to a yearly matchup between these two blue bloods of college football. If the Longhorns can do the unthinkable and upset the Crimson Tide, their rebuild will be accelerated in a major way.