Dominique Robinson was bummed after the 2019 MAC championship sport.
The Miami (Ohio) RedHawks received the sport, upsetting Central Michigan, however enjoying time was turning into more and more inconsistent for the junior large receiver. He figured it was time to ask about switching positions. After all, just about each place coach in this system had requested him a number of occasions to come back be part of their room.
Robinson was going to attend till after the season, however the RedHawks landed within the LendingTree Bowl on Jan. 6, a full month later, so he texted coach Chuck Martin and large receivers coach Israel Woolfork and requested for a gathering.
I actually need to strive enjoying defensive finish.
Robinson sensed on the spot aid on the face of Martin when he made the request. He hadn’t informed the coaches what he wished to speak about and figured they could marvel if he was fixing to switch.
“I said, ‘I was thinking H-back but I love the idea of defensive end,’ ” Martin recalled. “We had told him all along, you can basically go wherever you want.”
The group determined Robinson would stay a large receiver for the sport towards Louisiana — Robinson had solely 14 receptions for 296 yards on the season — however they might let him get a really feel for defensive finish in a single bowl follow.
“First snap, he beat the tackle and I was like, ‘Wow! That was pretty good,’ ” Martin mentioned. “Just natural, stacked him, put his hands on him. We knew that first day.”
“Any time you move an offensive guy, especially a skill guy to defense, the No. 1 thing is their willingness to hit people, be physical,” mentioned line of defense coach E.J. Whitlow, who moved to Air Force this season. “Especially when you are talking wide receiver to D-line. When Dom got out there, the speed and bend, turn the corner and cause a problem, that was natural for him. But his willingness to put his face in there in the run game and be physical on contact, it was like, ‘Hey, we might have something.’ ”
Robinson may need stunned even himself in that first follow. Miami was the one faculty to recruit him, and he arrived on campus as a quarterback, a place he stayed at for all of three practices.
“When I moved from quarterback to receiver and I watched myself on tape, you could tell I just didn’t look like a receiver,” Robinson mentioned. “It took a little while for me to get that look of being a receiver. When I moved over to D-end, it looked good. When I got done with practice and I went upstairs and watched the tape of it, I looked like I was supposed to be there.”
COVID-19 threw all faculty soccer gamers for a loop the following yr, particularly Robinson. But he dedicated to placing on weight, lifting, engaged on a blocking sled and studying the nuances of his get-off from the sting. Results got here instantly. He had two sacks and a cross breakup towards Ball State within the first of solely three video games for the RedHawks in 2020. Robinson took to his new place rapidly with Martin calling the development one thing they famous “daily.”
“When they come with the decision, ‘Hey, coach, I really want to try this,’ you’re going to get the investment to see it through,” Whitlow mentioned. “Sometimes as a coach if you make a suggestion, if the guy isn’t bought in, he’s not going to give it his all.”
Miami used Robinson as a situational cross rusher in 2021, and whereas he wasn’t wildly productive — he had 4 ½ sacks and eight ½ tackles for a loss — the instruments made him a simple choice for the Senior Bowl. Robinson measured 6-foot-4, 254 kilos in Mobile, Ala., with a wingspan of 82 ⅜ inches. Bears coach Matt Eberflus covets that form of size for his protection, and Robinson flashed sufficient that it didn’t take an excellent leap of religion to consider he may enhance and accomplish that quickly with extra time on job.
When the Bears chosen Robinson within the fifth spherical (No. 174 total), it was with the concept he can be a venture however may contribute instantly. The commerce of Khalil Mack to the Los Angeles Chargers created a necessity, too, particularly with Eberflus preferring to play linemen in waves.
Robert Quinn is a reserved veteran in his twelfth season, not the type who has lots to say, however Robinson has been in a position to glean suggestions from watching him and the few phrases he shares.
“On the field, he makes sure I am going in with a game plan,” Robinson mentioned. “When I am about to do a one-on-one rep, he always comes up to me and asks, ‘You got a move in mind?’ He’s making sure I have something planned where if I get the set that I need, that’s the move I am going to us. Sometimes I didn’t do that just because I’m a young guy and I’m going to react on whatever I get. Robert said, ‘No, you have to go in with a plan.’ He’s been good with that. I have been watching him, taking keys.”
Robinson’s debut towards the San Francisco 49ers was successful. He had 1 ½ sacks, the primary rookie in Bears historical past to have a couple of sack in a season opener. He beat 49ers proper sort out Mike McGlinchey with a tough transfer inside and flung Trey Lance to the turf with one arm. He later shared a sack with Roquan Smithon. Robinson completed with seven tackles — 5 solos — on solely 28 snaps.
According to the NFL, Robinson had three “hustle stops,” outlined as tackles made after operating 20 yards or extra, essentially the most by a rookie defensive linemen since Next Gen Stats debuted in 2016.
“That’s a big deal,” line of defense coach Travis Smith mentioned. “You talk about HITS principle, he is showing it there. Every day when you tell him something, it’s the first time he’s heard it. The great thing about him when he hears it, then he takes it out to the field.”
As Robinson left the sector within the northwest tunnel at Soldier Field after the sport, common supervisor Ryan Poles was standing there in a pointy, darkish grey go well with. Poles got here up and embraced the soaking moist Robinson with an enormous hug.
“That meant something to me, honestly,” Robinson mentioned. “I respect a man that comes over to do that. Come on, man.”
The 49ers sport was Robinson’s sixteenth as a defensive finish counting 15 video games in faculty. Some have in contrast him to Mark Anderson, who burst onto the scene in 2006 as a fifth-round decide with 12 sacks, a Bears rookie file.
Robinson is simply scratching the floor.
“I am glad he suggested D-end and I am glad we listened to him,” Martin mentioned. “Between God-given ability and probably the best human being you have ever met, there’s probably nothing that kid can’t do. You can play him anywhere.”
Scouting report
A.J. Dillon, Packers operating again
Information for this report was obtained from NFL scouts.
Dillon, 6-foot, 247 kilos, is in his third season in Green Bay after the Packers chosen him within the second spherical in 2020. Dillon led the offense in dashing (803 yards) and dashing touchdowns (5) final season and is splitting time within the backfield with Aaron Jones.
Dillon carried 10 occasions for 45 yards within the season-opening highway loss to the Minnesota Vikings, and the Packers have talked about committing extra to the run this week because the offense works to interrupt in younger large receivers for quarterback Aaron Rodgers.
“Historically, when you look at that coaching tree that Matt LaFleur is in, the run game is the foundation of those offensive structures,” the scout mentioned. “You can go to San Francisco, Los Angeles with Sean McVay, Arthur Smith when he was in Tennessee and now in Atlanta, every little thing is constructed out from the run sport. So whenever you run the soccer successfully in that offense, it results in play-action alternatives and it creates house within the passing sport due to that downhill run motion. I do assume they should run the ball extra as a result of they’re working with younger large receivers who’re nonetheless combating alignment, task and duty. When you will have that, it actually limits your passing sport and it turns into disjointed.
“But they have two running backs, two different styles, and both can catch the ball out of the backfield. They are going to be a major part of this offensive game plan Sunday night both in the run game and the pass game. Starting with the run game with A.J. Dillon, he’s a downhill back with really light feet. For a man of his size to be able to move like he does and be able to make defenders miss in the open field is impressive. Everyone knows he has the power because of his frame and physical profile, but the thing that has always stood out to me going back to when he was at Boston College is his footwork. Very good vision. Can get small when he needs to and then when he has to drop the hammer, he does have thunder in his pads. He’s developing as a receiver. He’s never going to be Alvin Kamara. But Dillon can hurt you in the pass game in screens and balls thrown into the flat on checkdowns and swing routes because when you have to tackle him, it puts stress on your body as a defensive player. From a defensive perspective, that is where you want the ball to go — throw it to Dillon in the flat, especially in zone coverage, and the Bears will play a lot of zone in this game. Now you’re asking defensive backs to tackle in space. They’re giving up 45 pounds and they’re making reservations to be in the training room Monday morning.”
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Source: www.bostonherald.com