Get to know the newest member of the Miami Dolphins, Chop Robinson
By Daulton Drew
With the 21st pick in the NFL Draft, the Miami Dolphins made a surprising pick in Edge rusher Chop Robinson. How does he fit in with Miami?
Why was he the pick?
The first question many Dolphins fans may have is: why? We have needs on both lines, so why did we draft an edge in round 1? Especially with two strong-edge rushers on the roster. Well, Mike McDaniel told us early on in his tenure that edge was his favorite position, and with his first-ever pick in the first round, he delivered on that statement.
Additionally, he fills the gap left by Andrew Van Ginkel and gives Miami some cover while Chubb and Phillips finish their recovery. While Miami needed other positions, Chop offers a good rotational pass rusher, which will be beneficial when the season starts especially late in the season.
Next: Chop Robinson Player Profile
What kind of player is Miami getting?
Miami is getting an ultra athletic twitchy player, but he is a bit one dimensional as a player. He uses his terrific burst to get a great jump off the ball and get into the chest of a dropping tackle with urgency. He uses his strength in the bull rush or his speed and bend to get around the edge.
He uses his athleticism a bit like a crutch at times. He really has not developed any arsenal of moves throughout his career, and if he doesn't win with speed or strength, he typically doesn't win. He also struggles against the run at times due to the lineman getting out on him and his lack of hand usage.
Strengths
- Great mix of strength and speed
- Great low stance which gives him good leverage
- Very explosive first step
Weaknesses
- Short, lightweight, and short arms will make him an outlier at the position
- Does not have a deep bag of pass rush moves or counters to get off blocks
- Rarely uses his hands to defeat or get off blocks
- Struggles against the run, specifically allows linemen to get in on him and lock him up. His shorter arms would be a reason for that.
- Pretty low production over his career. Only 3 sacks in his last season with 18 pressures.
Next: Final Thoughts and What's Next?
Final Thoughts on Chop Robinson
This pick is a bit of a head-scratcher and not a guy I thought Miami would be in on. His production and physical make-up do not lend themselves to believing he will be an instant impact player. They could have used a more impactful player with where the Dolphins are now. He seems to be more of a development piece, which has been hit-and-miss with Miami recently. This pick was a shock, with Johnny Newton, Darius Robinson, Jordan Morgan, and Graham Barton on the board.
I do believe Chop could develop into a good player for Miami, but I don't love a developmental edge at 21 who is also undersized. He definitely has athletic traits that can't be taught, and many of his issues are coachable, but time will tell how long it will take for him to contribute in any way aside from being a rotational, pass-rush-only edge player.
What is next?
Next, we pick at 55. Chris Grier said after the draft, that he was looking to trade back into round 1. I'm not sure how he thought that was possible from 55, but we will see if he continues to try to move up. Maybe he has a guy like Jackson Powers Johnson or Zach Frazier on the board in round 2. My perfect round 2 selections were Christian Haynes, Braden Fiske, or Kris Jenkins. Now, it feels like it HAS to be Christian Haynes, or the offensive line will be in a similar position as it has been in all of the previous years in recent memory. Roger Rosengarten or Blake FIsher are also options, but I feel like they may be a reach at 55. Fingers crossed, we can get the offensive line addressed on day two or with the remaining free agents.