2024 NFL combine prospect profile: Chop Robinson, Edge Rusher
As the NFL combine draws closer, several Penn State players are looking to have a huge performance. Edge rusher Chop Robinson especially could put on a show with his explosiveness and pass-rushing ability, and he needs to have a good week if he wants to lock himself into the first round.
Robinson is Penn State’s latest freak athlete entering the draft. It has become a regular occurrence in the last few seasons with guys Micah Parsons, Brandon Smith, and going back a bit Saquon Barkley. He was a huge part of a Penn State defense that finished second in yards and third in points allowed in all of FBS football. His first season in 2022 after transferring from Maryland was also a big year defensively for Penn State, and it’s no coincidence.
Let’s look more in-depth at what Chop Robinson has done to get here.
Vitals
Hometown | Gaithersburg, MD |
Projected Position | Edge |
Height | 6’3″ |
Weight | 250 lb |
Career Stats
G | Solo | Ast | Total | Loss | Sacks | PD | FF | |
2021 | 8 | 12 | 7 | 19 | 2.5 | 2.0 | 0 | 0 |
2022 | 12 | 19 | 7 | 26 | 10 | 5.5 | 2 | 1 |
2023 | 10 | 12 | 3 | 15 | 7.5 | 4.0 | 1 | 2 |
Overview
Chop Robinson has had high expectations throughout his entire football career, and it started in high school. He was a 5-star edge prospect out of Quince Orchard High School, and he was the 22nd-ranked prospect overall according to 247Sports. He originally committed to a different Big Ten team, joining the Maryland Terrapins in 2021. He had a strong freshman season for Maryland, racking up 2.5 sacks and 19 total tackles despite just one start.
Robinson then decided to transfer to Penn State in 2022, and he immediately made an impact with 5.5 sacks and routinely wreaking havoc on opposing offenses. He was banged up at times in junior season in 2023, but he chipped in another four sacks and helped lead Penn State to being one of the best defenses in the country.
Robinson gave scouts plenty of tape to comb through to show what he could do, but he has one strength, in particular, to be excited about.
Strengths
Chop Robinson’s game can be summed up pretty simply: Chaos. His speed and bend around the edge make him too hard to stay with for the vast majority of college tackles, and he routinely made them panic to get to their landmarks and keep him from winning around the corner. His goal seems to be to put fear into his opponents that they aren’t athletic enough to handle him.
He also plays with good physicality despite his smaller frame. He has quickness, not just speed, which helps him rush from the inside at times despite his size. He has seemingly endless energy when on the field, never stopping until the play is over. His first step as a pass rusher is about as good as you can expect. Expect him to blow up the combine and dominate in drills and testing.
Weaknesses
As mentioned in his strengths, Robinson plays with his hair on fire at all times and wants to win with speed to the edge. The problem is that if he matches up with a tackle that can handle his speed and bend, he doesn’t have the pass-rush plan needed to counter it. If he isn’t able to develop more moves as a rusher, he will be a very match-up-dependent player.
His lack of size is also an issue at times in the run game. He can be overwhelmed by longer, stronger linemen and will get washed out of plays. Even in college, he was a streaky player who had big games and games where he was mostly kept in check. If a team with a great defensive line coach gets their hands on him, he has all the potential in the world.
Best NFL player comparison
This is definitely a lofty comparison, and you can read the full explanation for it here, but I see a lot of Minnesota Vikings edge rusher Danielle Hunter in Chop Robinson’s game. Both were marginally productive in college but have elite athletic profiles that give them a floor as a speed threat off the edge. Hunter has developed into one of the more effective edge players in the NFL, racking up 87.5 sacks in his eight seasons so far.
Hunter is definitely bigger and likely a bit longer, but he had to develop in the same way that Robinson will need to at the next level. Hunter is still a weaker run defender, but Robinson also is unlikely to ever be a difference maker in that area anyway. Robinson could be considered a success if he becomes even 80% of what Hunter is, but his ceiling is just as high.
Where Robinson sits among draft prospects
Chop Robinson’s potential draft range is hard to pin down, but he has been routinely mocked in the late first round. You could find him listed as anywhere from the fourth-best edge to as low as just inside the top 10 players at his position. There doesn’t seem to be a consensus top edge, but one of Alabama’s Dallas Turner, Florida State’s Jared Verse, or UCLA’s Laiatu Latu is expected to be the first pass rusher off the board.
Robinson still seems like a good bet to be a first-round pick, especially if he tests as well as he is projected to. Regardless of where he goes, coaching will be the deciding factor on how good he can become.
