Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1531683
6 4 F E B R U A R Y 2 0 2 5 W W W . B L U E W H I T E O N L I N E . C O M C hop Robinson's NFL career started much like his time at Penn State did. After transferring from Mary- land to PSU in 2022, the defensive end was slow to get going at first. But, once he got settled, he was tough to stop. Robinson finished his first season in blue and white with 5.5 sacks and 10 tackles for loss, the majority of which came during the final quarter of the 2022 slate. During the first half of his rookie year with the Miami Dolphins, many wondered if the AFC East franchise had mistakenly used a first-round pick on the 2023 All-Big Ten pick. By the end of the year, though, there was little doubt that the franchise had made an astute choice. Robinson was a Pro Football Writ- ers Association All-Rookie team pick and made ESPN's All-Rookie team. He did not have a sack until November but finished with 6, in addition to 26 tackles and 4 pass breakups. "Robinson has had such a cool, un- derappreciated season," ESPN wrote in putting him on its list of first-year stars ahead of NFL Rookie of the Year can- didate Jared Verse of the Los Angeles Rams. "He was the eighth-fastest edge rusher off the ball, according to NFL Next Gen Stats, with an average get-off of 0.76 seconds, and he leveraged that wicked first step into a 17.2% pressure rate — sixth among all edge rushers with at least 200 pass rushes and first among rookies, including Jared Verse. "Robinson had a low sack rate given his pressure rate and get-off, but that's to be expected for a young speed racer off the edge. In college football, players just need to win the race to the corner and they'll get the quarterback down; in the NFL, it's much tougher. Robinson was never a high sack guy in college, so technical steps are still needed to be- come a strong finisher in the pocket, but the base of an elite pass rusher is already there." If history holds, Robinson will have an even greater impact on the Dolphins' defense in 2025. He made steady prog- ress at Penn State while becoming a star, and he's on track to do the same in the NFL. "I think he has really taken his place and proven his name in the league," Dol- phins defensive tackle Zach Sieler told the Miami Herald in November. "He's one of the best I've seen at listening to guys … and just taking all the informa- tion and putting it to work." FORMER NITTANY LIONS IN THE NFL As of Jan. 19 Saquon Barkley (Played at Penn State from 2015- 17), RB, Philadelphia Eagles: Barkley finished the regular season with 2,005 yards, becoming only the ninth player in league history to top the 2,000-yard plateau. He has continued to shine in the playoffs, rushing for 119 yards against Green Bay in the wild- card round and gashing the Los Angeles Rams for 205 yards and 2 touchdowns in the divisional round, leading the Eagles to a spot in the NFC Champion- ship Game on Jan. 26. Ryan Bates (2016-18), OL, Chicago Bears: Bates returned to action after being placed on injured reserve earlier in the season with shoulder and elbow problems but was forced out of Chicago's game against Green Bay in Week 11 with a concus- sion. He ended up missing the final seven games of the season. Jaquan Brisker (2019-21), S, Chicago Bears: Brisker missed five of the Bears' first 10 games with a concussion and was placed on injured reserve Nov. 14. He finished his third pro season with 40 tackles and an interception. Cam Brown (2016-19), LB, Miami Dolphins: Brown was signed to Miami's practice squad during the offseason but spent the year on injured reserve. The nature of his injury was not disclosed. Ji'Ayir Brown (2020-22), S, San Francisco 49ers: Brown was removed from his starting role before the Niners' 38-13 win over Chicago on Dec. 10. He still finished fourth on the team with 77 tackles and also had an interception and 6 passes defended. Tariq Castro-Fields (2017-21), CB, Philadelphia Eagles: Castro-Fields was waived by Carolina on Oct. 1 and picked up by Philadelphia three weeks later. The team cut him but then re-signed him to its practice squad ahead of the postseason. Dan Chisena (2015-19), WR, Carolina Panthers: Chisena was on Arizona's practice squad, but the team cut him on Oct. 11. Six days later, he joined the Panthers' practice squad. He was elevated to the active roster for the final six games of the regular Chop Robinson Comes On Strong At Season's End G R E G P I C K E L | G R E G . P I C K E L @ O N 3 . C O M PSU IN THE PROS Robinson earned postseason accolades from the Pro Football Writers Association and ESPN after finishing his rookie campaign in Miami with 6 sacks. PHOTO COURTESY MIAMI DOLPHINS