Texas RB Bijan Robinson listed as a top Heisman candidate for 2022

Well ahead of the start of the 2022 season for Texas football, it already looks like there is some looming Heisman hype for top players from this team next fall. A trio that includes to-be star junior running back Bijan Robinson, sophomore breakout wide receiver Xavier Worthy, and incoming redshirt freshman quarterback Quinn Ewers could all garner Heisman hype in 2022.

The most proven and hyped up of those three offensive weapons, though, will be Robinson. The former elite five-star recruit and third-year running back had a sensational run when he was healthy in 2021. And he’s set to return as one of the biggest and brightest stars in the Big 12 in 2022.

Bijan was a Heisman contender throughout much of the first half of the 2021 campaign. His contender status in the Heisman race did wane down the stretch as the struggles mounted on the field for the Longhorns in Big 12 play.

Yet, it looks like there is more Heisman hype already building up for Bijan in 2022. A piece from 247Sports this week projecting the top Heisman contenders early on for the 2022 season included Bijan in the top 10.

Bijan rang in at No. 4 on the list of top 10 Heisman contenders for 2022. He fell in line behind the likes of (in order from top to bottom) Alabama Crimson Tide quarterback Bryce Young, Ohio State Buckeyes quarterback CJ Stroud, and Oklahoma Sooners quarterback (also currently in the NCAA Transfer Portal) Caleb Williams.

Texas football star RB Bijan Robinson listed as a top Heisman contender for 2022

That also means that this list of top Heisman contenders for 2022 had Bijan as the top running back. The next running back up on this list is the star Ohio State running back Treveyon Henderson. He is two spots behind Bijan here, at No. 6 in the ranking.

Here’s more on what this piece from 247Sports had to say about the placement of Bijan among their top 10 Heisman contenders for the 2022 season.

"Robinson, who ran 195 times for 1,127 yards (5.8 average) and 11 touchdowns in just 10 games, is arguably the best running back returning to college football in 2022. Robinson showed plenty of flashes during his true freshman season in 2020 and only built on that this season. With the addition of former five-star Quinn Ewers at quarterback, the Texas offense has the chance to take things to the next level in year two under Steve Sarkisian."

Bijan was on a torrid pace in terms of both production on the ground and as a receiver prior to his season-ending injury last fall.

The two major keys for Bijan in 2022 will be re-establishing the domination he showed in the first half of last fall and helping elevate Texas’ contender status in the Big 12. The latter of those two keys will obviously be more difficult for Bijan to attain, especially given how good he was last fall while Texas finished up with a losing record.

The Texas offense can help Bijan become more of a legitimate Heisman contender next season also by putting a better offensive line in front of him and establishing more balance in the offensive game-plan. That will largely fall on the shoulders of Ewers and head coach Steve Sarkisian.

Texas finished up last season with a record of 5-7 (3-6 Big 12) following a win in the regular season finale over the Kansas State Wildcats on Black Friday. Bijan was integral to the success that Texas did find on the field in 2021. The same will be said for next season.