The Seattle Seahawks have struggled to generate a constant cross rush from their defensive entrance since Frank Clark was traded, and it’s definitely not been for lack of funding. Because the Seahawks undergo their official 30 visits* forward of the 2024 NFL Draft, they’re reportedly set to fulfill with one of many prime defensive ends on this yr’s class.
*- I’m giving up on the “prime 30” moniker because it’s a foolish misnomer. We’ll simply roll with “official 30” go to or a “pre-draft go to” to keep away from any confusion.
NFL insider Aaron Wilson studies that the Seahawks are among the many a number of groups scheduled to have a proper go to with Penn State’s first-team All-Massive Ten star Demeioun ‘Chop’ Robinson.
The very first thing to level out with Robinson is that he was a mix standout and his Relative Athletic Rating (RAS) is extraordinarily spectacular.
Having nice athletic traits is clearly not in itself sufficient to make for a formidable NFL-level participant. His 11.5 sacks over three school seasons (one at Maryland and two at Penn State) is hardly eye-opening, so why is he one of many prime gamers on the consensus large board with a substantial likelihood to be drafted within the back-half of the primary spherical? Right here’s what The Athletic’s Dane Brugler has to say about Chop:
Whereas some cross rushers require a runway to construct up velocity, Robinson accelerates 0-to-60 in a blink, creating prompt suddenness from his spot to shoot gaps or win races to the nook. He reveals pure rush instincts and makes use of quite a lot of swats, swipes and dips to evade blocks, though his counters want additional growth.
He’s a troublesome run defender however is barely undersized and will use further bulk to raised match up with NFL blockers.
Professional Soccer Focus ranked Robinson thirteenth in school soccer in cross rush win charge (20.9%), which suggests he’s impacting the quarterback even with out getting the sacks.
We’ve got seen the likes of Odafe Oweh (Baltimore Ravens) and Trayvon Walker (Jacksonville Jaguars) get drafted within the first spherical—Walker, in fact, went No. 1 general—regardless of an absence of gaudy sack numbers. In Oweh’s case, he didn’t have a sack in his last yr of school. Sacks could be risky, however strain charge and cross rush win charge tends to be a greater indicator for the standard of an edge. Danielle Hunter is among the NFL’s finest edge rushers and he had 4.5 sacks in school.
As for Chop’s weaknesses? Right here’s what the Massive Blue View scouting report needed to say.
Robinson is an elite athlete for the place, however he lacks the technical refinement to totally unlock his athletic upside.
As issues stand now, Robinson’s hand utilization is underdeveloped and haphazard. Whereas he appears to wish to use methods like rip or membership strikes, his arms are unfocused and never crisp. He doesn’t actually neutralize blockers arms and doesn’t cleanly defeat their blocks. That may sluggish his rushes and forestall him from capitalizing on his explosive first step.
Robinson additionally lacks very best size in comparison with the NFL’s archetype for the place. That can also restrict the benefit given to him by his spectacular athleticism. Mixed together with his poor method, blockers are sometimes in a position to get their arms on him first regardless of his explosive first step.
This all reads to me that Robinson can be your traditional tremendous athlete whose sport could be finest described as “uncooked.” He’s not as refined as UCLA’s Laiatu Latu, however with the suitable teaching, in addition to his personal potential to enhance upon his sport and add to his skillset, he has the bodily items to be a probably particular professional. That is additionally to say that he’s most likely not going to be wowing straight away as a rookie.
Watch his spotlight reel beneath:
