The Las Vegas Raiders are evaluating prospects in the 2024 NFL Draft, looking for the players who best fit the culture they have established and will help them win games.
The Raiders have a new regime in place with Coach Antonio Pierce and General Manager Tom Telesco. These two hope to build a championship-winning team in Las Vegas, which could begin with this draft class.
Under Pierce, the Raiders saw significant improvements on defense. They could still look to add more players to that side of the ball, though, potentially off the edge.
One of those players could be Penn State’s Demeioun “Chop” Robinson. An aptly nicknamed, imposing presence off the edge, Robinson is one of the top defensive ends in the class.
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After spending one season at Maryland, Robinson transferred to the Nittany Lions. He finished his collegiate career with 60 total tackles, 20 for loss, three forced fumbles, and 11.5 sacks. He was named First-Team All-Big Ten in 2023.
Robinson looks a bit smaller than his 6-foot-3, 250-pound frame, but that doesn’t stop him from being a relentless edge rusher. He has impressive snap timing and uses his strength and quickness to attack linemen.
Robinson’s most impressive trait is that quickness. He uses quick, choppy movements to beat his match-up when he begins a rush. He can convert speed-to-power and push linemen back into the quarterback.
He also has good athleticism and flexibility to bend around his match-up, or dip underneath them. Robinson has a bevy of pass-rush moves he can use and plays hard every snap.
According to Pro Football Focus, Robinson generated 26 total pressures. He was the seventh-highest-rated edge rusher in the country and the highest in the Big Ten.
Robinson is one of the best athletes at edge in the class. He was named to The Athletic writer Bruce Feldman’s ‘Freaks List,’ a compilation of the best athletes in college football.
While he is a great pass rusher, Robinson needs to improve as a run defender. He is not quick to disengage with blocks when the run comes his way.
Robinson is projected to be a late-first or early-second-round selection. If the Raiders want to bolster their improved pass rush with an explosive athlete, Robinson could be a perfect fit.
The NFL Draft will be held in Detroit, Mich., on April 25-27, 2024. The Las Vegas Raiders currently hold the No. 13 overall pick.
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