Blue White Illustrated

NO BACKING DOWN Defensive back Neiko Robinson heads north to try his hand in the Big Ten BY RYAN SNYDER Blue White Illustrated W hen cornerback prospect Neiko Robinson committed to Penn State in June 2012, more than a few Nittany Lion recruitniks questioned the move. Robinson was not ranked by Rivals.com, had no other scholarship offers from major football programs and came from a school that competes in Florida's lowest division. Many Penn State fans wondered about the Bratt native's recruitment. Was he the type of under-the-radar recruit that the coaching staff planned to target when it went recruiting in the South? In time, however, it became obvious that Penn State simply had a head start on its competition. Robinson was one of the more underrated prospects in the Sunshine State, and he was a good fit with the Nittany Lions. "I'm so happy with the decision I made," Robinson said. "Penn State [recruited] me from the very beginning. They always said that they knew I could play on this level, when no other big schools were offering. They always had faith in me, and that's one of the reasons why I stayed with them when the sanctions came out." Minnesota and Purdue eventually joined the Lions in extending scholarship offers. However, many recruiting analysts believe that his early-season suspension – he got into a fight during a preseason game defending a teammate who also happened to be his younger brother – scared off additional schools. Robinson, a 6-foot, 178-pound safety, is remorseful for letting his emotions get the best of him during that game. "That was a dumb decision," he said. "Someone came after my younger brother and I just wasn't thinking. I THE ROBINSON FILE S TAT I S T I C S Totaled 95 tackles and seven interceptions, three of which he returned for touchdowns as a senior... Helped lead Northview to the 2012 FHSAA Class 1A state championship... 93 tackles and four interceptions as a junior at Flomaton (Ala.) High HONORS Three stars from Rivals.com and was ranked the No. 54 safety in the country still feel bad about that. I'm not that kind of person." The Florida High School Athletic Association suspended Robinson for six games to open the season, but after reviewing the situation in mid-September, FHSAA officials reduced the penalty to four games. That left Robinson with six games in which to help his team earn a spot in the playoffs. His impact ended up being greater than anyone imagined. "Neiko came to us just this year," said Northview High head coach Sid Wheatley. "He transferred in the winter [from Flomaton, Ala.] We knew he was a good player, but we had no idea what to expect from him when he came back [from the suspension]. We knew he had the potential to be great, but we didn't know he had become the player he was. He was everything we could ever want in a safety." With Robinson in the starting lineup, Northview won four of its final six regular-season games. Then came the playoffs, and he made an even bigger impact, helping lead the Chiefs all the way to the state championship game. Robinson saved his best performance for last, recording 13 tackles and one interception against Trenton. Northview went on to win the game, 42-21, earning the school its first state title. "After everything in the beginning of the season, to end it like that, I couldn't ask for anything else," Robinson said. "This was my first season at Northview. I came in not knowing any of these guys, but now they'll be some of my best friends for the rest of my life. "I can't wait to get to Penn State, but I'll never forget what we did this year. This will always be a real special moment for me." Playing in only 10 games, Robinson finished his senior season with 95 tackles, seven interceptions and two tackles for loss. Those would be impressive numbers for a linebacker; for a strong safety, they are astonishing. "I really stressed playing the run this year. That had a lot to do with it," Robinson said. "I knew I was always good at reading a quarterback, but this year I really stressed playing the run, being physical and making the big hit whenever I could. "I think that will really help me out when I get to PSU. Playing in the Big Ten, you have to be physical. You can't be scared of those big running backs. I definitely won't be afraid of those guys. In a few years, when I get my shot, I want those running backs to say, 'Man, that Neiko Robinson, that guy can hit.' "

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