Dolphins rookie Chop Robinson should embrace the spotlight he's now being put in

The Miami Dolphins were in a good position with their defensive front. They had pieces in place to keep things moving until two injured players returned and rookie Chop Robinson could get acclimated. That all went out the window ahead of training camp.

Shaquil Barrett threw a wrench into the Dolphins' plans, and now, their first-round rookie is going to step into the spotlight, and he will be asked to mature a lot quicker than was intended. While signing Emmanuel Ogbah helps out a little, Robinson still must play beyond his years with Barrett hanging up his cleats.

Chop Robinson is going to have to play beyond his years for the Miami Dolphins in 2024

Robinson was a consensus first-round prospect, and the Dolphins did not overreach for him by selecting him on draft night. He was, however, considered to be a bit of a project. Robinson is great off the snap and has good instincts. He can set the edge well and can be explosive at the point of impact with blockers. His resume at Penn State was impressive when you look beyond the sacks. His forte is collapsing the pocket more than finishing with a sack.

In Miami, the idea of Robinson creating chaos in the backfield would allow others who are more rounded to finish the play. Without Barrett, Robinson is going to need to step up more, and the learning curve will be shortened.

Reality will kick in, and we can all honestly say, as well as Robinson, this is a good opportunity for the rookie to get more reps, more one-on-one time with the coaches, and an opportunity to enter his rookie season ready to go. Miami was able to get things done quickly with Ogbah, but make no mistake about it - Robinson is going to be forced into a leadership role for the pass-rushers despite being a rookie. With that said, look for him to flourish in that new role.