Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1518105
1 8 A P R I L 2 0 2 4 W W W . B L U E W H I T E O N L I N E . C O M Chop Robinson turned heads at the NFL Scouting Combine in February when he posted a 4.48-second 40-yard dash time. Among the impressed onlookers were his fellow defensive ends, a group that included PSU team- mate Adisa Isaac. "When I finished, I looked up and I didn't see the time," Rob- inson said. "I was walking back. I saw Adisa and the guys I was training with clapping. They were so happy for me, so I knew I'd done something crazy. I was just excited after seeing those guys' reactions." Robinson's star turn in India- napolis vaulted him into the first round of multiple mock drafts. The All-Big Ten defender had previously been viewed by ana- lysts as a likely second-rounder, but now he's seen as a good bet to join one of his teammates, offen- sive tackle Olumuyiwa Fashanu, as a Day 1 selection when the draft begins April 25 in Detroit. With a lifelong goal now clearly in sight, Robinson is relishing the draft- prep process. He discussed his past and future with Penn State beat reporters at the Nittany Lions' Pro Day on March 15. QUESTION: There's always a lot of speculation ahead of the draft. Do you follow any of that stuff? ROBINSON: "I don't pay attention to any mock drafts. I know what type of guy I am, what type of player I am. Wherever I end up — first, second, third round, fourth round — they're going to get the same player." QUESTION: How much of a relief was it to get the combine out of the way? ROBINSON: "It was good. Those are long days. You're waking up at 6 and you're not back to your room till 11. Then you've got to wake up at 6 again the next day. Getting through those days and being able to test — you know you've trained for it your whole life, so it was really just another day. The training part wasn't bad. I was already used to it, and I knew what I could do. Getting the inter- views over with was the longest process." QUESTION: Have teams talked to you about position versatility, or are you adamant about being an edge rusher? ROBINSON: "They see me as an outside linebacker/defensive end. It re- ally depends on the team I go to. I may be in a four-down front or three-down front. It really depends on where I go." QUESTION: What does it say about Chuck Losey and his strength and con- ditioning staff at Penn State that you and some of the other guys at the com- bine were able to perform so well? ROBINSON: "He really goes into de- tail with everything, and being coach- able, that's the No. 1 thing. You just have to listen to those guys, take all the infor- mation they give us and just run with it." QUESTION: Manny Diaz is at Duke now after being defensive coordinator at Penn State the past two years. Have you talked to him at all through this process? ROBINSON: "Yeah, I talked to Manny before the combine, and af- terward he was saying congratula- tions, and good luck and stuff like that. Me and Manny still have a good relationship. We talk here and there. He's busy being a head coach now, but we talk when we can." QUESTION: You made the de- cision to transfer from Maryland prior to the 2022 season. What has Penn State done for you personally and as a player? RO B I N SO N : " P e n n S t a t e changed my life. Being here with Coach [James] Franklin and being around all the guys, guys with the same mindset as you, there's only one way to come out of it, and that's greatness. So just being around those guys and having Coach Deion [Barnes] pushing us, it's a blessing, because you don't really get that everywhere else. "Coming here and just enjoying every single moment, being with my teammates, being with the coaches and staff, it's a blessing." QUESTION: How do you want to be remembered at Penn State? ROBINSON: "I want to be remem- bered as the guy who had the best get- off, the best bend and just for being that goofy teammate and showing love to all my teammates. I love all the guys here." QUESTION: Do you think you're a first-round pick? ROBINSON: "One hundred percent. I'm a guy who shows up every single day and gives everything I've got, and I'm consistent with everything I do. I've got the best get-off and the best bend, and there's nobody who can [do that]. You can't teach that, and it's very natural to me." QUESTION: Are you excited about the process of preparing for the draft? ROBINSON: "I've been enjoying it. It was a dream as a kid, so you've got to cherish every moment because you don't really get to do this but one time." ■ Sitting Down With Defensive End Chop Robinson Robinson was a first-team All-Big Ten defensive end as a junior at Penn State, finishing with 4 sacks and 7.5 tackles for loss in 10 games. PHOTO BY FRANK HYATT