NFL star reveals a hidden talent for March Madness picks

Bijan Robinson has a flawless bracket through the first day of the competition.

Bijan Robinson, the Falcons’ running back, is currently enjoying a fantastic life. The Atlanta speedster will start his second NFL season later this year full of excitement and confidence after the team appointed a new head coach and backed up the Brinks truck to sign veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins to a four-year contract. Robinson is anticipated to play a significant role in the Falcons’ offense as Atlanta prepares to return to the playoffs.

But March is a month for basketball, with the 2024 NCAA Tournament currently underway after a lively first day of play on Thursday. And Robinson demonstrated his enthusiasm for college basketball by exhibiting a hidden skill at identifying winners in the Round of 64.

Bijan’s brilliant first day

Through the first full day of the tournament, Robinson has a perfect bracket that rivals that of even the most dedicated college ball fans. He accurately predicted all 16 games on Thursday, including 11-seed Oregon’s upset of sixth-seed South Carolina in the Midwest region and 11-seed Duquesne’s win over sixth-seeded BYU in the East region, the program’s first tournament victory since 1969.

Most importantly, Robinson correctly predicted the day’s biggest upset: 14-seed Oakland defeated third-seeded Kentucky in Pittsburgh. The Golden Grizzlies won only their second tournament game in history, forcing the Wildcats to make a choice on longstanding head coach John Calipari, who could be dismissed after the sad result.

Will Robinson stay undefeated?

A perfect bracket is extremely rare, given fans and pundits submit millions of entries each year for the men’s and women’s championships. Robinson has done his best thus far, but the odds are against him.

Robinson has picked his alma mater, the Texas Longhorns, to win their first national championship this year, and he predicts two double-digit seeds, Grand Canyon and North Carolina State, to reach the Elite 8. However, considering the tournament’s erratic nature (it has only been two seasons since a 15-seed played in a regional final), Robinson may be seeing something that few others have.