It's been a while since the Miami Dolphins drafted a player who actually performed as expected in his rookie season. Chop Robinson had a great first year.
Robinson's NFL career got off to a slower start than some had hoped. He was getting consistent pressure on quarterbacks but was lacking the sack accumulation. His sack totals were not good overall, but that only serves to diminish the surface of a very good rookie year.
Robinson wouldn't get his first sack until the Dolphins traveled to the Buffalo Bills midway through the year, but he was one of the top-rated edge rushers in getting pressure on quarterbacks. He finished the year with six sacks total, four passes defensed, 26 total tackles, and 14 hits on quarterbacks.
ESPN saw what a lot of others did this year. A player who dominated off the edge and created problems for opposing linemen and quarterbacks. The network honored Robinson by naming him to their 2024 All-Rookie team.
"Robinson has had such a cool, underappreciated season. 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 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," writes ESPN's Ben Solak.
Chop Robinson looks more and more like a home-run draft pick for Dolphins
We have to give credit to general manager Chris Grier for drafting Robinson. While the Dolphins were backed into a corner at the position, with Jaelan Phillips and Bradley Chubb uncertain about their ability to return from injury, they needed edge help.
It will be interesting to see what happens in 2025 when all three are on the field at the same time. The Dolphins still need to add to the edge this offseason. Phillips can't be relied upon anymore, as he has now missed nearly two seasons with two different injuries. Miami could bring back Emmanuel Ogbah to add depth to the position.
Regardless, there will be a high expectation for Robinson to make a big jump in 2025, and fans should expect his sack total to increase.