The Pittsburgh Steelers have selected Mark Robinson from Ole Miss with their first pick in the 7th round.
Check out our recent exclusive interview with Robinson here.
Pros:
Good production in lone year at position
Very good upper body strength (34 reps at 225lbs)
Ability to read and react in the run game
Keeps his eyes on the QB when in zone
Hit power, delivers punishing hits
Solid blitzer, managed 3 sacks and 5.5 tackles for loss
Special teams contributor
No hesitation, when he sees something he attacks
Position versatility in a pinch
Decent in coverage when keeping things in front of him
Cons:
Very raw, as expected for him only playing one year at linebacker
Size. Short for the position
Man coverage, he won’t offer a lot early on guarding tight ends up the seam
Needs to get better at disengaging offense linemen
Needs to improve on flipping his hips and running with responsibilities in coverage
Occasional missed tackles when delivering a big hit but not wrapping
Has been fooled by misdirection throughout the year
The Steelers always love players that bring special teams value and can play a position on the offensive or defensive units as a backup. Robinson can play on special teams early on due to his physical traits, but is going to need to continue learning the position before being able to be a consistent player on defense. Something that Brian Flores should be able to help with if he becomes a Steeler.
Run Defense
As a run defender, Robinson is quick to pull his trigger and start flying downhill. He doesn’t waste many steps and often times is able to beat the running back to the hole. He has a good feel for reading where holes are going to open and recognizing it quickly, which likely stems from him being a running back previously. Misdirection runs or QB read options have given him trouble at times, as he attacks so quickly that he can get himself out of position. He also needs to work on disengaging from offensive linemen once they make contact. He hits them on the run with good force, but doesn’t yet use his hands efficiently enough to get off the blocks and make plays consistently.
Range and Tackling
In terms of working sideline-to-sideline, Robinson has shown the ability to make plays outside the tackles as long as he has a clean path. He ran his 40-yard dash at 4.69s at his Pro Day, which isn’t elite by any stretch, but proves he has enough to consistently work the majority of the field. He doesn’t tend to overrun many plays when showing off that range which is key as well. He is a solid tackler when he is in one-on-one situations, and also possesses very impressive hit power. He rarely gets driven back on tackles and typically brings the action to the ball carrier instead of waiting. He will miss some tackles when he decides to go for a big hit instead of wrapping up, but for someone only having one full season under his belt at the position, he should end up fixing some of those miscues.
Coverage and Versatility
When it comes to his coverage, Robinson does fine when he is responsible for underneath zone or his man runs a route that stays in front of him. He is able to quickly recognize and trigger downhill to make a play on the ball or the tackle. He also does a good job in zone coverage to keep his eyes on the QB to make sure he doesn’t leave the pocket. When he has to turn and run with a man or play the ball down the field, he seems to be a little more out of his comfort zone. He wasn’t asked to do it frequently, but there are a few instances where he had to put his back to the line of scrimmage and run with a man down the field. He needs to improve in these areas by recognizing and opening up quicker. He doesn’t have bad hip movement but it isn’t good enough to wait as long as he has to turn and run with average speed. He does have value as a blitzer in both the run and pass game that was on display across several games. When he is the last man on a stunt, he hugs his line tight and doesn’t eat up unnecessary extra yardage. Using him frequently like this as an attacking middle linebacker is where he will succeed the most early on.
NFL Comparison – Josey Jowell
It isn’t easy finding a comparison for Robinson in the NFL. He has a lot of raw tools but definitely thrives when the play is in front of him. This is why I chose Jowell as the comparison. Both are shorter linebackers that are at their best when attacking downhill and have had struggles when they had to turn their back to the line. Jowell has made himself a solid starter for the Denver Broncos with his liability to be a force on run downs and hold his own in coverage.
Draft Projection – Late Day 3 Pick/Priority Undrafted Free Agent
Robinson isn’t the easiest person to gauge on what his draft stock is. Around the draft community, he isn’t a household name, but his tape shows a player with good instincts and upside given how raw his technique is for the position. I could easily see him being a 6th/7th round pick for a team looking for an inside linebacker that they can afford to groom for a year or two.
MORE SOON
