A native of the Detroit suburbs, Darius Robinson enjoyed a dream homecoming, as the Arizona Cardinals selected the Missouri edge with the 27th pick of the 2024 NFL Draft in downtown Detroit.
Robinson, who’s now 6-foot-5 and 285 pounds, was a late arrival to football. He primarily played basketball at Canton (Mich.) High School until his junior year, and as a result, was lightly recruited. He landed at Missouri and appeared sparingly over his first three seasons. In his final two years there, however, everything clicked and Robinson, 22, turned into an incredibly versatile edge prospect. Robinson notched a combined 19.5 tackles for loss and 12.0 sacks over his last two seasons with the Tigers.
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With 34 1/2-inch arms and a good first step, Robinson has enough tools to win outside against some tackles. He’s also big and explosive enough to do damage inside. His hands are massive (nearly 11 inches), and his punch can uproot even the most powerful offensive linemen.
A very disruptive player in college, Robinson has a motor and confidence level that run high. They were enough in college to make up for a bit of his body stiffness. He won’t be as versatile in the NFL, but he’s a massive human who is hard to move at the point of attack and could be an interesting third-down pass rusher.
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“The Beast” breakdown
Robinson ranked No. 35 in Dane Brugler’s top 300 big board. Here’s what Brugler had to say about him in his annual NFL Draft guide:
“Robinson is straight out of central casting with his frame, length and power at contact, but he needs to introduce better skill and efficiency to his game for quicker sheds versus NFL blocking. He projects as a base end in either an odd or even front who can shift inside in subpackages.”
Coaching intel
What two anonymous coaches had to say about Robinson in Bruce Feldman’s NFL Draft confidential:
“Darius is the most impressive of the (defensive line) group. He gives you so much position flexibility. In the 4-3, he’s your D-end or you can put weight on him and he can be 3-tech. In a 3-4, he can be your big end or a tackle. I think he’s best as a 3-4 big end. I could see him killing it in a 4-3 system, too. He just gives you variety like nobody else in this draft can give you.”
“He was awesome. Amazing. Great personality. The only kid I’ve ever had that handed me a resume after. In our system, we think he’s probably a 3-technique or 3-4; he’s a 4i type of guy. He’s like 285. Can he be 295, 300? There’s probably a little development. This kid might take a year or two, but I think he’s sharp enough and aware to know that he might need more reps.”
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Why he’s a first-round pick
Robinson mainly served as a big-time edge setter from the six-technique spot in Missouri’s even front, but he saw plenty of work earlier in his career playing inside. He ran a 4.95-second 40-yard dash at the combine and is more power than athleticism, which could limit how many reps his new coaching staff can get out of him. But his body type and length are elite.
Darius Robinson
6-5 296
34 7/8 arm
84 5/7 wing
10 5/8 handmiz-zou @colton_pouncy pic.twitter.com/vqs7dNnqR6
— Nick Baumgardner (@nickbaumgardner) February 21, 2024
How he fits
Even with the holes at receiver, edge rusher might have been Arizona’s biggest need. The Cardinals last season struggled to impact the quarterback, finishing with 33 sacks, which ranked 30th in the league. Robinson, the fifth edge rusher taken in Thursday’s first round, has great size, standing 6-5, 285 pounds. Georgia coach Kirby Smart called Robinson one of the tougher guys to block in the SEC. A team captain at Missouri, Robinson also has the “football character” coach Jonathan Gannon prefers.
Rookie impact
The NFL transition for edge rushers can take time. Even so, Robinson will be counted on to contribute sooner rather than later. Arizona’s defense remains a work in progress, but last season under Gannon and defensive coordinator Nick Rallis the Cardinals at least established expectations for what is expected from effort and attitude standpoints. A promising sign: At the Senior Bowl, coaches voted Robinson “Practice Player of the Week.”
Depth-chart impact
The Cardinals last season shifted inside linebacker Zaven Collins to the edge position. Although coaches liked what they saw from Collins, it didn’t always look like the best fit. B.J. Ojulari, a 2023 second-round draft pick from LSU, played just 37 percent of defensive snaps in his first season, so there’s an opportunity here. Robinson can also play inside in certain packages.
They also could have picked …
After going with Marvin Harrison, Jr., at No. 4, the Cardinals were almost certainly going to go defense with this pick. The edge position seemed like the best option, but they also needed help at corner. Iowa’s Cooper DeJean and Clemson’s Nate Wiggins were potential options.
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Fast evaluation
As a senior at Missouri, Robinson posted 14 tackles for loss and 8.5 sacks, earning first-team All-SEC honors. He’s solid against the run — and can play multiple spots on the defensive line — but his impact will be judged on how often he disrupts the quarterback. He got an unusual start to football — he entered high school thinking he was a basketball player — so it’s not unreasonable to suggest his best days are ahead of him.
(Photo: Joe Puetz / USA Today)