2022 NFL Draft Scouting Report: Brian Robinson

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Brian Robinson, 6-1/225 Running Back Alabama

Brian Robinson Scouting Report
By Charlie Campbell

Strengths:

Three-down starter ability

Advanced pass blocker

Tough downhill runner

Strong to run through tackles

Contact balance

Gets yards after contact

Strong lower body

Short-yardage, goal-line asset

Keeps feet going after contact

Can move the pile

Speed to hit the hole

Acceleration

Second gear to hit the second level

Instinctive runner

Good vision

Patience

Can create for himself

Anticipation

Good body lean to run low

Bends at the knee

Runs behind his pads

Receiving ability

Quality route-runner

Quality hands

Decisive runner

Small work load in college

Low mileage

Weaknesses:

Good skill set, but overly dominant

Good, but not great, speed

Summary: Alabama is a difficult place to play if you are a running back because every year it seems like the program adds a five-star recruit, so it can take years for backs to finally get their turns. Alvin Kamara ended up transferring to Tennessee for that very reason. Robinson stuck it out despite small carry totals in 2017 (24), 2018 (63), 2019 (96) and 2020 (91). But those few opportunities leave him having low mileage and fresh legs entering the NFL. Robinson finally became the starter in 2021 following Najee Harris moving on to the next level. In 2021, Robinson averaged 5.0 yards per carry for 1,343 yards and 14 touchdowns. He had 35 catches for 296 yards and two touchdowns. Robinson has been a real riser with pro teams.

Sources say they there is a lot to like about Robinson. “He has low mileage,” said a director of player personnel in the late fall. “He’s athletic, instinctive, and has size and power. Right now, he’s our top-rated back.”

For the next level, Robinson is a physical back who can be the engine of a tough rushing attack. He has three-down starting potential and can overwhelm a defense. With his power, size, and tough rushing style, Robinson is a downhill runner who can impose his will through sheer strength. His strong build, his knee bend, and his ability to run behind his pads let Robinson break tackles consistently and pick up yards after contact. Defenders will struggle to bring him down at the second level, and it often takes multiple defenders to get him to the turf. With his contact balance and strength, Robinson is a tough runner to wear out a defense. His strength to run through tackles and push the pile makes him an asset in short-yardage and goal-line situations.



Along with his power, Robinson has the quickness to hit the hole and a second gear to accelerate to the next level of the defense. Robinson is not a burner, but he has good speed for a big back and is capable of ripping off yards in chunks.

In the passing game, Robinson shows the ability to serve as a receiving down back. He has quality hands, runs solid routes for a big back, and shows vision and feel to find the soft spots in defenses. Robinson will need some work as a blocker and identifying rushers for the NFL, like all college backs, but he did an excellent job of blitz protection for Bryce Young in 2021. Robinson made some huge blocks on clutch plays to protect his quarterback. Coming from a pro-style system, Robinson could become a three-down starter who is a valuable pass protector early in his NFL career.

Some teams have Robinson as the top-rated back for the 2022 NFL Draft with a second-round grade. He shouldn’t go any lower than Round 2, and he could sneak into the end of Round 1.



Player Comparison: Frank Gore. In terms of running style, Robinson reminds me of Gore. Gore was a tough, physical, downhill runner that picked up a lot of yards in his prolific NFL career. I don’t think Robinson will match Gore’s longevity, as very few ever have, but in terms of running style I could see Robinson having a good career as a plus starter like Gore was for most of his career.

2022 NFL Draft Player Previews - Choose Player 2022 NFL Draft Player Previews - Home Adam Anderson, OLB, Georgia Calvin Austin, WR, Memphis Tyler Badie, RB, Missouri Amaré Barno, OLB, Virginia Tech Andrew Booth, CB, Clemson David Bell, WR, Purdue Nik Bonitto, OLB, Oklahoma Jaquan Brisker, S, Penn State Treylon Burks, WR, Arkansas Zachary Carter, DE, Florida Leo Chenal, LB, Wisconsin Lewis Cine, S, Georgia Damone Clark, LB, LSU Micheal Clemons, DE, Texas A&M Bryan Cook, S, Cincinnati James Cook, RB, Georgia Yusuf Corker, S, Kentucky Matt Corral, QB, Ole Miss Charles Cross, OT, Mississippi State Nick Cross, S, Maryland Jordan Davis, DT, Georgia Nakobe Dean, LB, Georgia Jahan Dotson, WR, Penn State Greg Dulcich, TE, UCLA Arnold Ebiketie, DE, Penn State Kaiir Elam, CB, Florida Ikem Ekwonu, OT, N.C. State Martin Emerson, CB, Mississippi State Kingsley Enagbare, DE, South Carolina Daniel Faalele, OT, Minnesota Luke Fortner, C, Kentucky Ahmad 'Sauce' Gardner, CB, Cincinnati Luke Goedeke, G, Central Michigan Kyler Gordon, CB, Washington Kenyon Green, G, Texas A&M Breece Hall, RB, Iowa State Logan Hall, DE, Houston Kyle Hamilton, S, Notre Dame Christian Harris, LB, Alabama Daxton Hill, S, Michigan Chasen Hines, G, LSU Sam Howell, QB, North Carolina Aidan Hutchinson, DE, Michigan Ed Ingram, G, LSU Drake Jackson, DE, USC Jermaine Johnson, DE, Florida State Zion Johnson, G, Boston College Travis Jones, DT, Connecticut Kerby Joseph, S, Illinois Cam Jurgens, C, Nebraska George Karlaftis, DE, Purdue Darian Kinnard, OT, Kentucky Charlie Kolar, TE, Iowa State DeMarvin Leal, DT, Texas A&M Isaiah Likely, TE, Coastal Carolina Tyler Linderbaum, C, Iowa Devin Lloyd, LB, Utah Drake London, WR, USC Abraham Lucas, OT, Washington State Boye Mafe, DE, Minnesota Phidarian Mathis, DT, Alabama Trey McBride, TE, Colorado State Roger McCreary, CB, Auburn Trent McDuffie, CB, Washington Verone McKinley, S, Oregon John Metchie, WR, Alabama Skyy Moore, WR, Western Michigan Chad Muma, LB, Wyoming David Ojabo, DE, Michigan Chris Olave, WR, Ohio State Cade Otton, TE, Washington Evan Neal, OT, Alabama Josh Paschal, DE, Kentucky Trevor Penning, OT, Northern Iowa Nick Petit-Frere, OT, Ohio State George Pickens, WR, Georgia Kenny Pickett, QB, Pittsburgh Alec Pierce, WR, Cincinnati Dameon Pierce, RB, Florida Jalen Pitre, S, Baylor Brock Purdy, QB, Iowa State Bernhard Raimann, OT, Central Michigan Desmond Ridder, QB, Cincinnati John Ridgeway, DT, Arkansas Brian Robinson, RB, Alabama Wan'Dale Robinson, WR, Kentucky Justyn Ross, WR, Clemson Jeremy Ruckert, TE, Ohio State Jamaree Salyer, G, Georgia Tyler Smith, OT, Tulsa Isaiah Spiller, RB, Texas A&M Derek Stingley, CB, LSU Kayvon Thibodeaux, DE, Oregon Cameron Thomas, DE, San Diego State Tyquan Thornton, WR, Baylor Kenneth Walker, RB, Michigan State Rasheed Walker, OT, Penn State Quay Walker, LB, Georgia Travon Walker, DE, Georgia Christian Watson, WR, North Dakota State Zamir White, RB, Georgia Jameson Williams, WR, Alabama Malik Willis, QB, Liberty Garrett Wilson, WR, Ohio State Perrion Winfrey, DT, Oklahoma Tariq Woolen, CB, UTSA Devonte Wyatt, DT, Georgia Jalen Wydermyer, TE, Texas A&M

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