Chop Robinson NFL Draft Profile
Position: Edge
Height: 6’3″
Weight: 253 lbs
School: Penn State
2024 NFL Draft: Chop Robinson Scouting Report
Chop Robinson was a highly-touted high school football player from Quince Orchard High School in Gaithersburg, Maryland. Despite receiving offers from several universities, he chose to stay in his home state and committed to playing for the Maryland Terrapins. During his time at Maryland, Robinson displayed his potential by playing well in both pass coverage and pass rush, becoming a valuable asset to the team. Although his stats for his freshman year – 19 total tackles and two sacks – were not mind-blowing, his disruptive presence on the field was evident. Seeking to improve his skills further, Robinson decided to transfer to Penn State.
In Robinson’s first season at Penn State, he aimed to demonstrate why he had been so highly regarded since high school. He succeeded in improving every aspect of his game and appeared faster and more agile when rushing the quarterback. Robinson made 26 total tackles, 10 quarterback hurries, and 5.5 sacks. This is exactly why Penn State recruited him – he had untapped potential and was getting better with each game. His junior season was critical because he needed to use it to rise to the top of the NFL draft board. He went on to become arguably the most impactful player on the Penn State defense, which was ranked third in the nation. Robinson had seen a slight decline in counting stats. He finished with 15 total tackles, 7.5 tackles for loss, and 4 sacks. The numbers were not as impressive, but he contributed to every play in some way. This was enough for the word to spread that he was a highly regarded prospect, and Robinson would skip the team’s bowl game to prepare for the NFL draft.
Strengths:
- Plays with a very high motor, looking to stay on the field at all times;
- Has one of the best get-offs in the entire class this year, using his explosiveness to impact plays right off the snap;
- Powerful player with a dense body build with incredible point-of-contact power;
- Has incredible speed and the ability to get to the apex and disrupt plays causing tackle-for-loss;
- Has the flexibility and bend that NFL teams look for in a modern-day edge rusher;
- Has the ability to widen the space between the tackles and bull rush to the quarterback;
- Possesses the shake and speed it takes to disrupt quarterbacks who like to get the ball out fast;
- Has some really well-tuned finesse moves.
Weaknesses:
- While he possesses a decent frame it wouldn’t hurt him to add some weight to help benefit in the run game and against NFL linemen;
- Exhibits weak lower body strength consistently getting stiff in the hips and torso areas;
- Needs to work on his balance as he’s been knocked out of plays immediately if pushed hard;
- Can sometimes give tackles time to recover after taking too long to hit the corner using his flexibility;
- Still has work to do when it comes to playing a more refined game not relying on just a couple of finesse moves and bullrushes.
Projected: Mid First Round
Player Comparison: Randy Gregory
Possible Landing Spots: Seattle Seahawks, Los Angeles Rams, New Orleans Saints
Chop Robinson NFL Draft Review
Chop Robinson is a talented first-round draft pick who possesses all the qualities that an NFL team desires in a modern-day pass rusher. Robinson plays with maximum effort as his motor never stops running constantly playing with high energy. He has the speed and flexibility to put immediate pressure on any lineman in football. However, as he heads to the NFL, he needs to improve his game against technically sound offensive tackles. He must work on his finesse moves and bull rush to become a more impactful player in the run game.
He is a truly exceptional athlete and excels in multiple aspects of the game that require athleticism. His ankle flexion is elite, which makes him incredibly quick and difficult to stop. When he has momentum, no one can get a grasp of him. Robinson’s raw talent gives him the potential to become a top-ten prospect in his class and the best player in his position group. Although other top edge prospects, Jared Verse and Dallas Turner have much more on-field production than Robinson. Robinson will be a project player at the NFL level, and it will take time to see him reach his full potential.
Robinson is a talented player who requires a team that can dedicate time to develop and hone his skills. He is best suited for the role of an odd-number front outside linebacker because of his ability to move around the field with ease. Teams may want to focus on improving his coverage skills to fully utilize his athleticism. If he gains more size and learns to stop the run, his potential skyrockets. Though he is a well-rounded player, he needs time and effort to become an every-down player and fulfill his potential.
Main Photo: Dan Rainville – USA Today Sports
