National Football League

Bijan Robinson to the Cowboys? Klatt's top landing spots for NFL draft prospects

Updated Apr. 11, 2023 11:52 a.m. ET

Take a look at your NFL calendar, ladies and gentlemen.

We are exactly one month away from the 2023 NFL Draft, and with the combine in the books and free agency slowing down after the initial rush, all focus shifts toward the end of April when the top college players in the country will wait to hear their names called and share a big embrace with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell.

FOX Sports college football analyst Joel Klatt revealed his favorite landing spots for seven of the top NFL Draft prospects during a recent episode of his podcast, "The Joel Klatt Show."

Here is a look at where Klatt would love to see those seven players land.

Will Anderson, Edge, Alabama

Best Fit: Arizona Cardinals, Pick No. 3

Klatt on Anderson to the Cardinals: "The Arizona Cardinals need defensive help. They were 28th on third down and when it comes to getting after the quarterback, they were 23rd in the league, so they’re not providing pressure on the opposition’s quarterback like they need to.

"Will Anderson is my best player available in the entire draft and Arizona is likely going to have a chance to draft him. … It fits a need, it’s obviously the best player available, so it makes a lot of sense right there. That’s my favorite fit for Will Anderson."

Jaxon Smith-Njigba, wide receiver, Ohio State

Best fit: New York Jets, Pick No. 13

Klatt on Smith-Njigba to the Jets: "You could pair him back up with Garrett Wilson. When those two were on the field together, that was just gangbusters already at Ohio State. The Jets got a second-round pick when they traded Elijah Moore to Cleveland, so they now have back-to-back picks at the 42 and 43 range, so they’ve got ammunition and compensation if they need to give that up for Aaron Rodgers. I don’t think this pick is going to be the compensation, so they are likely gonna make a selection with it.

"While I understand they need some defensive help, if you’re going all in for Aaron Rodgers, then go all in for Aaron Rodgers and give him what he never got with the Green Bay Packers. What did he always want and never got with the Green Bay Packers? A first-round wide receiver. This guy works really hard, he’s very smart. And with a guy who is aging in Aaron Rodgers, this gives him the ability to get the ball out of his hands really quickly.

"I think that the quarterback is always the sixth man in protection. So, if he can protect himself, why not give him that ability instead of drafting some young offensive tackle to help protect him? Give him [Rodgers] somebody that can create space and get open quickly, and then boom, he can protect himself. There’s a lot of reasons why I like this pick. It makes a lot of sense to me. You go all in. You’ve got this small championship window, and we’ve seen it work before.

"Peyton Manning went to Denver, and we didn’t know how effective he would be, and he was effective right away. Remember who he got? Wes Welker. A guy that could go out there and help him protect himself in the slot … that’s Jaxon Smith-Njigba. So for my money, this makes a lot of sense and I get excited about it because you don’t draft him to be a true No. 1. I think you’ve got a true No. 1 in Garrett Wilson. But you do draft him to be a guy that could potentially lead the league in receptions, own the middle of the field, create one-on-ones for Garrett Wilson."

Why Jaxon Smith-Njigba would fit perfectly with Aaron Rodgers and the Jets

Joel Klatt explains why former Ohio State WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba would pair perfectly with Aaron Rodgers and the New York Jets.

Anthony Richardson, QB, Florida

Best fit: Richardson to the Raiders at No. 3 (TRADE)

Klatt on Richardson to the Raiders: "The Raiders have always drafted traits over production. I know that at times that has burned them in the past, but this guy is a superior player to JaMarcus Russell. I don’t want to hear those comparisons because he has so much more in his toolkit as a quarterback.

"Josh McDaniels, who was groomed under the Patriot way for basically his entire career … One of the things he undoubtedly learned from Bill Belichick was that you always focus on what a player can do vs. what a player can’t do. Tell me what a player can do, and then you build around him. You build around a player’s strengths, and that’s what makes them successful.

"If you’re the Raiders, do you think Jimmy Garoppolo is gonna be that guy for any length of time that is going to help you win the division in the AFC West? Probably not … The important part about having Jimmy Garoppolo is that you don’t have to start Anthony Richardson right away. So, you’re good at starter, at least for some period of time, and yet you give this guy time under a creative offensive coordinator to potentially become a guy who could rival Patrick Mahomes, because at his best, at his ceiling, he could be the best player on the field.

"If you want to really roll the dice, you want to really gamble, you wanna really shoot for the stars, you don’t try to trade up and get C.J. Stroud or Bryce Young because quite frankly, they’re not in Patrick Mahomes’ hemisphere. That’s not a knock, Mahomes is just one of the best players we’ve ever seen. But the traits for Richardson at least allow you to dream that he could potentially get there. He’s the closest thing, as far as ceiling goes, that we’ve seen to Mahomes in quite some time. Maybe the Raiders take that flyer and they move up from seven to three to draft Richardson."

Bijan Robinson, RB, Texas

Best fit: Robinson to the Cowboys at 26

Klatt on Robinson to the Cowboys: "How do you return Dak [Prescott] to form without an offensive line that can just be leaned on in the running game? Well, give him more offensive threats. Who’s a more offensive threat in the state of Texas than Bijan Robinson? He is one of the five best football players in the draft.

"They have to give Dak Prescott the ability to return to what his best form was. His best form is when Zeke Elliott was the best running back in the league. You’re paying people a lot of money, you need cheap offensive weapons, and this guy gives you all sorts of creativity in terms of the ability to throw it to him, hand it to him … he’s electric, and I think he can help the offense run the football … in the passing game. I think that’s exactly what they need to give Dak Prescott.

"Tony Pollard is coming off that fractured leg. He was franchise-tagged, Zeke Elliott is gone, that was running its course. I love this selection. I love the fact that if Jerry Jones falls in love with a guy, which he might fall in love with Bjjan Robinson, he might move up and get them. I love the fit of Bijan in Dallas because of all the things he can provide not only to Dak, but to the organization and the offense as a whole."

Bijan Robinson is the perfect fit for Dak Prescott and the Dallas Cowboys

Joel Klatt explains why former Texas RB Bijan Robinson is the perfect fit the Dallas Cowboys.

Jahmyr Gibbs, RB, Alabama

Best fit: Gibbs to the Chiefs at 31

Klatt on Gibbs to the Chiefs: "Jahmyr Gibbs gives you all sorts of options. He's probably best suited to go to a team that has a really creative offensive playcaller and has a quarterback that would understand how to utilize him.

"Kansas City is kind of middle of the road on defense, and I really think it’s kind of a fool's errand to think they’re going to improve that defense much or even have to lean on that defense when you’re right in the middle of Patrick Mahomes’ prime. If you’re the Chiefs, I think your best bet in the draft would be to get cheap, versatile, dynamic offensive weapons. That sounds like a really good blueprint if you’re the Kansas City Chiefs, and that’s Jahmyr Gibbs.

"[Jahmyr] Gibbs is better than [Clyde] Edwards-Helaire. He’s more versatile, he’s more explosive. I think he’s better in almost every single area. I know Isiah Pacheco was a great find in the seventh round, but Gibbs would give them another dimension as far as a dynamic player."

Zach Charbonnet, RB, UCLA

Best fit: Charbonnet to the Bengals at 60

Klatt on Charbonnet to the Bengals: "This is a team that needs a running back with letting Samaje Perine go, and you look at what they do offensively, they need a backup running back. You don’t need to get one of the starters, but Zach Charbonnet could easily replace what Samaje Perine was able to give you on the offensive side.

"This guy [Charbonnet] is also very versatile, but he’s a little bigger, he’s a little more sturdy. He’s really good in pass protection as well, which is an area Perine had to be good because he was better than Joe Mixon in that area. So, he can step in and play that role.

"This makes a lot of sense. If you spent any time around Zach Charbonnet, you know he is just a wonderful kid. … This is the type of player that can be inserted into a locker room and play a role for a team that is clearly going to be thinking they can make a deep push into the playoffs and potentially get into the Super Bowl soon. He fits exactly what they need."

Jack Campbell, LB, Iowa

Best fit: Campbell to the Steelers at 49

Klatt on Campbell to the Steelers: "This guy is big. I would love it if he ran a little bit better, but when you watch the tape, he moves better on tape than he would in the 40-yard dash. He plays fairly fast. He’s a really smart player. He makes every play that you need him to make. He’s a sure tackler. He’s the type of guy that could come in and eventually be the captain of your defense.

"They [Pittsburgh] need linebacker help after Devin Bush signed with Seattle, and I don’t think this is too high. This is the type of guy that plays a really aggressive style of defense that fits in Pittsburgh. Those fans will love him, and that coaching staff will love him."

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