The Mizzou edge player could also be an interior pass rushing monster.
Over the next couple of weeks, leading up to the 2024 NFL Draft we will take a look at close to 30 prospects to know.
Within that, we will use the excellent work of Dane Brugler, who has just released his “The Beast” 2024 NFL Draft Guide. I highly recommend taking a peek and signing up for The Athletic if only to get Dane’s guide.
It is always an exhaustive work, and he should be commended.
With that said, we will go in order of Dane’s Big Board and use his final analysis as the wrap up of each prospect.
Next up is a very intriguing edge player who could be a dominant base end in Jonathan Gannon’s defense, Darius Robinson.
Dane’s Take:
A three-year starter at Missouri, Robinson played six-technique defensive end in former defensive coordinator Blake Baker’s 4-2-5 base scheme. After playing primarily inside as an underclassman, he moved to an edge role as a super senior and had a breakout season while battling injuries, leading the Tigers in tackles for loss (14.0) and sacks (8.5).
The intrigue is how much Robinson grew as a player in his last year when he moved to the outside. He all of a sudden became a dominant player in a very good defense.
A power-based rusher, Robinson wears down blockers with his upper-body strength and aggressive hand usage, deploying his anaconda arms to swallow ball carriers in the run game. Though athletic for his size, he lacks ideal get-off and lateral burst and needs more of a plan to cut down on wasted movement.
He isn’t a dominant pass rusher at all, but he offers something in the pass rush and could be someone who starts outside for the Arizona Cardinals and then slides down into the interior to rush the passer on passing downs.
Overall, Robinson is straight out of central casting with his frame, length and power at contact, but he needs to introduce better skill and efficiency to his game for quicker sheds versus NFL blocking. He projects as a base end in either an odd or even front who can shift inside in subpackages.
The question becomes… Where does Robinson go in this draft. It feels like if you could get Robinson at 35, it would be a nice fit, where you don’t have incredibly high pass rush expectations, but if you get a very good base end with 6-8 sacks a year, this could be a home run.
Next up… Cooper Beebe
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