We are excited about our draft coverage here at FFSN this year, as we are adding something new to the fold. Between now and the NFL Draft, I will be writing individual player profiles on many of this year’s top prospects. Today, we begin the series with Missouri defensive lineman Darius Robinson.

In correlation with today’s article, FFSN’s K.T. Smith did an extensive film breakdown on Darius Robinson, which is a highly informative evaluation I encourage all of you to check out. Make sure you watch it below in the player, or by clicking HERE!

Bio

Rated as a three-star recruit and the 17th highest recruit in the state of Michigan, Robinson followed his standout high-school career and took his game to Missouri, where he saw action in each of his five collegiate seasons and became the primary starter his final two seasons. In 2022, we saw flashes of Robinson’s ability, but those flashes were never displayed on a consistent basis, as he accumulated a mere 3.5 sacks and 5.5 tackles for loss. This past season, however, was a different story. Robinson changed positions and received a bigger role as a pass rusher, and he took full advantage of the situation, amassing 8.5 sacks and 14 tackles for loss, developing into one of the best defensive linemen in the nation. He was awarded first-team All-SEC honors by both the Associated Press and Coaches.

Scouting Report

Fellow Michiganders get extra credit in my book, but for Robinson, there is so much more I like than just where he grew up. Robinson is a standout athlete who took his game to a new level in 2023, amassing 7.5 sacks and 12 tackles for loss. Robinson had originally played at over 300 pounds as an interior defensive lineman, but in 2023, Missouri asked him to lose weight and kick outside. Aligning primarily as a 4-3 defensive end, Robinson’s size and athleticism was simply too much for most linemen to handle one-on-one. His 6’5” frame and 35” arms make him a perfect fit as a 5-technique at the NFL level, as he could easily add back a few of the pounds he lost when kicking out to the edge.

While many will look at his 2023 stats and try to use it to justify keeping him on the edge, I believe his frame and play style fits better in a base 3-4 system that branches out into sub-packages on second and third downs. Either way, the fact he can play multiple spots boosts his value, as NFL coaches love versatility in the trenches. I also love how he can disengage from blocks so effortlessly. For a guy with as heavy and as lethal hands as Robinson, he also possesses great quickness with his hands, which puts him in an ideal position to shed blocks and make plays.

One overlooked aspect is the fact he plays best in big games. He displayed such consistency from start to finish in both the Georgia and Ohio State games, and he made several key plays at crucial moments against LSU and Florida. He does play with his pads a little too high as a run defender, and his occasionally poor footwork affects his quickness and balance getting upfield in pass rush situations. He also does not possess elite lower-body strength. Nonetheless, I am excited about Robinson’s potential and consider him a potential first-round pick.

Draft Projection

Robinson’s athleticism is incredibly evident when watching his tape, which leads me to believe he will only rise higher following the NFL Scouting Combine. Also, the law of supply and demand could work in Robinson’s favor, as the defensive line group is one of the few weak links in an otherwise deep draft class. This could boost him even higher. Right now, I would project him to be taken somewhere in the 18-32 range, but I do not see him slipping outside the top 40 picks. There simply aren’t many defensive linemen on the level of Robinson in this draft.