With the 21st pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, the Miami Dolphins selected Penn State edge rusher Chop Robinson. What do the draft guides say of Robinson?
The Miami Dolphins opened their 2024 NFL Draft process with the selection of Penn State edge rusher Chop Robinson. The selection provides an athletic player with the potential to be one of the elite players in his draft class. But he is not a perfect prospect, with questions surrounding his production at Penn State and his ability to stop the run.
With the pick made on Thursday night, we take a look Friday morning at what the pre-draft profiles said of Robinson. What can we expect to see of Miami’s newest player in 2024 and beyond?
Big Blue View – Chris Pflum
Chop Robinson projects as a high-volume rotational edge defender to start his career, but he has the upside to seize a starting job before his rookie contract is up.
Robinson has yet to live up to his athletic upside, however his potential is incredibly tantalizing. Few pass rushers can boast his blend of explosiveness and fluidity, or his versatility to play from a wide variety of alignments. Whether Robinson ever reaches his (considerable) ceiling will come down to whether or not he’s able to improve as a technician. Robinson has the potential to terrorize opponents’ backfields, but will need to consistently and efficiently defeat blockers to do so.
His speed will always make him a threat, but whether or not he becomes a “hit” will depend on if he can refine his technique to fully harness his athleticism.
NFL.com – Lance Zierlein
Comparison: Micah Parsons
Edge defender who offers the type of elite athleticism we’ve seen from players like Micah Parsons and Myles Garrett. Robinson might not be as fast as Parsons, but he’s close. He’s ultra-twitchy with the explosiveness to get on top of blockers and overwhelm them in an instant. However, he will need to level up his hand skills and attack angles to reach his potential against NFL tackles. Robinson’s electric athletic traits alone should give him a floor as a good NFL starter. If he crafts a rush approach and learns to string moves/counters together, he could reach his ceiling as a destructive force capable of forcing teams to game plan around him.
NFL.com – Daniel Jeremiah
Robinson is an extremely twitched-up edge rusher with limited production. He has average size but is incredibly explosive. As a pass rusher, he has excellent get-off quickness, but it looks odd because of his short/choppy steps. He will cause more stress for OTs when he learns how to lengthen his stride and gain ground. He flashes a nifty two-hand swipe maneuver and a push/pull move. He has some tightness that shows up when he gets to the top of his rush. His sack production is limited, but he was very disruptive in every game I studied. He was asked to drop into coverage on occasion and looked comfortable in space. Against the run, he consistently generates knock-back versus head-up blockers, but he struggles versus angle blocks and double teams. He gets washed down the line too often. Overall, Robinson isn’t a smooth/bendy type of player, but his mix of speed and power provides a lot of disruption.
NFL.com – Bucky Brooks
Robinson is an athletic freak with the first-step quickness and bend-and-burst skills to create chaos as a sack artist at the next level. His production at Penn State (9.5 sacks over the past two seasons) didn’t match his physical tools, but the upside makes him an intriguing option as an early-round selection.
2024 NFL Draft Book – Simon Clancy
The baby elephant in the room here is production. Robinson, for all his athletic ability and first step quickness, has only 11.5 career sacks, including just four in his final campaign. That’s going to be an issue in draft rooms for teams. The 33rd Team website did a very interesting study on the 58 edge rushers drafted in rounds 1-3 from 2017-2020 and discovered that only eight have recorded a higher sack percentage in the NFL than they did in college. What does that mean for Robinson? Well, Chandler Jones had just 10 sacks at Syracuse and 112 in the NFL, whilst Danielle Hunter had 4.5 at LSU and so far has 87.5 as a pro. So it isn’t definitive. But it bears watching. What isn’t up for debate is that he’s incredibly twitchy: turn on any tape and he’s like a souped-up turbo at the traffic lights waiting for green, rocking back and forth. You can almost see the gas dripping from the tail pipe in anticipation. And when that light does change, he explodes. Robinson is bendy, he’s violent, and can really flatten, but there’s some stiffness in his hips at the very top of the arc when he has to work back down if he’s gone past the QB’s landmark. On stunts, he has the speed to knife through gaps and he’s a constant pocket menace, although I felt like he could have finished better at times. He can be eliminated by power too often, or by long armed tackles who can shove him around. Robinson looks really smooth when he drops off in coverage, and transitions well back towards the ball. However, he can be a liability against the run because he needs to get stronger, and can be washed away by tight ends – against West Virginia, Kole Taylor and Treylan Davis had their way with him and walked him out of the play time and again. As a sub-package pass rusher he has the get-off to have an immediate and devastating impact and the ceiling is massive. Whether he lives up to that remains to be seen.
I didn’t love Chop Robinson’s tape and his production is pretty average – 11.5 career sacks – given his quickness, but he is absolutely explosive and incredibly twitchy. He’ll be a sub package agent of chaos for the Dolphins off the edge.
— Simon Clancy (@SiClancy) April 26, 2024
I thought Chop Robinson was a liability against the run too much. Watch him against West Virginia. Kole Taylor & Treylan Davis has their way with him & walked him out of the play way too often for my liking. He’s a turbo off the edge but Miami lost out with Latu, Verse & Fautanu.
— Simon Clancy (@SiClancy) April 26, 2024
NFL Draft Buzz
Chop Robinson’s ascent to a potential first-round talent in the 2024 NFL Draft is anchored by his explosive athleticism and notable performances at Penn State. His capability to outmaneuver offensive tackles with his burst and flexibility makes him a formidable pass-rushing prospect. The upcoming season will be critical for him to demonstrate a more robust run defense to round out his game.
His current skill set, highlighted by a quick first step and exceptional bend, indicates a significant potential for growth. Robinson’s high motor and athletic base suggest he could make an immediate impact in the NFL, especially if he diversifies his pass-rush techniques and incorporates more power into his approach.
Robinson’s archetype is an ideal fit for a stand-up EDGE in schemes that value versatility and disruption. His ability to generate pressure from various alignments makes him a valuable asset for defensive coordinators looking to craft a dynamic and aggressive defense.
To realize his full potential as an every-down impact player in the NFL, Robinson will need to continue developing, particularly in anchoring against the run. Even if he arrives in the league with a more narrowly defined role, his skill set positions him to be a highly effective pass-rush specialist, capable of altering offensive game plans with his presence alone. There is a palpable buzz around his trajectory, with expectations that he will develop into a player who consistently challenges and disrupts at the professional level.
Bleacher Report – Matt Holder
Comparison: Josh Uche
Demeioun “Chop” Robinson might have the best combination of get-off and bend in this draft class. He’s lightning-quick off the ball and very flexible in his lower body.
He’s a top-tier athlete which, combined with how well he sets up his pass-rush moves, gives him a ton of potential as an edge-rusher in the NFL.
Robinson also has sneaky strength and is physical at the point of attack. That helps him take advantage of weaker offensive tackles when turning speed to power and overcome some of his size deficiencies as a run defender when his hands and leverage are right. However, his hand placement and leverage are inconsistent.
The Penn State product also has a lot more traits than production right now, making him more of a project. He has made a handful of impactful plays via sacks and tackles for loss, but the consistency play in and play out just isn’t there right now. He needs to add some size to be more stout against the run, which should coincide with more production.
Schematically, Robinson would be best as a standup outside linebacker for a team that uses a lot of odd fronts.
ESPN – Matt Miller
Robinson is a solid edge-setter even though he is undersized. He has shown good first-step quickness and hand usage that converts to production — he had a pressure rate of 18%, nine tackles for a loss and four sacks last season. Teams will be split on Robinson’s best NFL position, and some scouts will wonder whether he can be a three-down edge player. But at the very least, he will be an early-impact edge rusher.
ESPN – Jordan Reid
Robinson is among the most explosive players in this class, regardless of position, with the quickness to routinely race past blockers. We saw it at the combine, when he posted a 10-foot-8 broad jump and 4.48-second time in the 40. He had four sacks last season, but his 18% pressure rate would have been fourth-best in the FBS had it qualified. I see plenty of lower-body flexibility to quickly turn the corner and force blockers to abandon their technique. His run defense remains a work in progress, as Robinson must be more physical and disciplined when setting the edge, but most of his value comes as a pass-rusher — where he excels. He’ll be a 3-4 outside linebacker in the NFL but still needs to continue to add weight to his frame.
ESPN – Field Yates
Robinson will generate varying opinions, as he had just 11.5 sacks over 35 career college games. But his first-step quickness and explosion off the edge give him a chance to become the best NFL pass-rusher in this class. Robinson ran a 4.48 in the 40 at the combine, but even more importantly, he had a 1.54-second 10-yard split, showcasing just how sudden he is off the ball.
Pro Football Focus
Robinson is an alien-like athlete. He makes some jaw-dropping plays where he can fire off the line and get into the backfield with ease. However, outside of his first step and fast hands, he is an incomplete pass-rusher.
Most of his backfield production comes from him feasting off inferior tackles. He could also struggle with length against NFL-caliber tackles.
His pass-rush profile needs to expand, as he does not have a regular rotation of pass-rush moves or counters when he doesn’t win with athleticism off the jump. He is a strong run defender but has some reps where he gets out of his gap to try to make a play.
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Regardless of his lack of polish, Robinson is a gifted athlete — likely on a level that is top of the class. A lot of what leaves you wanting more from Robinson is coachable. Unlocking that is the key for him to go from a boom-or-bust athlete to a dominant edge defender.
USA Today – Frank Bodani
Robinson is best known for stunning first-step speed and explosiveness rushing the passer from the edge. Often compared to NFL stars such as Myles Garrett and former Lion, Micah Parsons. He’s received a prospect score of 6.7 from NFL.com, which the outlet categorizes as a “Year 1 starter.” A raw super force, though, he must quickly expand and refine his package of rush moves and counters and develop as run-stopper.
The Draft Network – Keith Sanchez
Chop Robinson possesses the adequate size and athleticism for a stand-up edge rusher, which allows him to be an impact player when rushing the quarterback and utilizing his athleticism to make plays, including dropping in coverage. At the snap, Robinson has an explosive first step that he uses to put offensive linemen in a panic situation where they have to try to get depth as quickly as possible and lose their technique. From this position, Robinson can continue to run the arc using a rip-and-dip move to defeat the offensive lineman if he can convert speed to power and work through the offensive lineman to collapse the pocket on the way to the quarterback. Robinson is a high-activity rusher. If his initial move doesn’t work, he will continue to work throughout the play, which allows him to make an impact via second and third attempts or on chase-down plays.
Robinson’s improvements as a player involve him as a pass rusher and as a run defender. As a pass rusher, Robinson does an excellent job of winning around the arc, but there is still room for him to develop inside track counter moves. Robinson needs to improve moving laterally to give himself a counter move to take the inside track in case the offensive lineman oversets him and gives him an easy path to the quarterback.
As a run defender, Robinson needs to improve in identifying run keys and defeating blocks. Robinson is a high-motor, high-effort, explosive player, but in the run game, he will occasionally run himself out of the play and give up his responsibility in an attempt to chase the play. Also, once offensive linemen are engaged with Robinson on run plays, he struggles to quickly disengage and make himself available to make the tackle.
Overall, Robinson has all the tools necessary to develop into a dominant pass rusher on the next level. There are just minimal aspects of his game that he needs to improve on to become a more well-rounded player
Pro Football Network – Ian Cummings
Robinson’s physical build is unique. He lacks the elite length many crave in top-tier EDGE defenders. However, Robinson nevertheless wins with all kinds of different qualities, and he compensates in the power realm with his momentum generation, strength, leverage, and relentless drive.
Robinson’s hyper-elite explosive athleticism and play speed can send tackles careening off the snap, and his high-end ankle flexion only makes his speed more potent. Robinson’s burst and bend are overwhelming qualities, and he can capitalize on those traits with active hands.
There’s still room for Robinson to further fill out his pass-rush arsenal and be more consistent with his power, but he’s ultimately a maniacal hot-motor attacker with the bedrock athletic traits to be an instant disruptor, and he can do so from all alignments. The flashes of combo work and combative hand usage invite excitement for his projection.
Robinson profiles best as a stand-up EDGE in odd and hybrid-front schemes, but the most creative defensive coordinators can maximize Robinson’s output. At the end of the day, he’s a game wrecker who can be weaponized to exploit mismatches all across the line. Pressure and pandemonium — that’s what he generates, without fail.
Walter Football – Charlie Campbell
Comparison: Dee Ford
There is no doubt Robinson is a dangerous pass rusher off the edge. He is fast with a quick first-step to get upfield and the ability to accelerate around the corner. To go along with his being fast, Robinson is very bendy with no hint of stiffness. He can get low to duck underneath tackles, as he is very athletic, showing the skills to sink his hips and redirect. Given his speed and fluidity, offensive tackles are in trouble when there is space for Robinson to work with because he adept at dodging blockers. As a pro, Robinson could be a dangerous edge rusher and quarterback hunter thanks to possessing the sheer speed to blow by tackles around the corner.
While Robinson is an effective rusher, he faces problem for run defense at the NFL. Robinson is undersized, so he lacks the height and weight to be a pro edge defender. In the ground game, Robinson can get covered up and pushed around. He also is not very physical as a defender and needs to get stronger for taking on pro offensive linemen.
In the NFL, Robinson will probably start out as a DPR – designated pass rusher. To become a three-down starter, he is going to have to get much tougher at defending the run. In obvious passing situations, Robinson could be a nice contributing edge rusher to put pressure on the quarterback.
Robinson looks like a potential second-day pick in the 2024 NFL Draft.
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