INDIANAPOLIS — Darius Robinson has always had something to prove.
Whether it was him not playing football until his junior year of high school or being buried on Missouri's depth chart, Robinson hasn't been given a lot.
And yet, he's earned so much.
Despite Robinson's late entry into organized football, he was able to better himself through the ol' cliche of hard work and determination.
"I was weak, and I had to work really hard," Robinson said at the NFL Scouting Combine on Tuesday. "I had to learn to love the process and really get myself ready to play. And then each year, I just got better and better."
Robinson early enrolled at Missouri, but the road ahead became filled with obstacles. An up-and-down four seasons in Columbia saw the Tigers finish around .500 each season, and Robinson had only gotten one season of legitimate playing time. Although he could've easily transferred, Robinson decided to stick around for a fifth season.
"I didn't think I was ready yet," Robinson said.
It was then that Robinson made a position switch. After playing on the interior for the entirety of his time at Missouri, Robinson moved to the outside prior to the 2023 season.
"When I came back, I decided I wanted to play both positions, show my versatility to the NFL," Robinson said. "Coach Drink{witz}, coach {Kevin} Peoples, we worked out a great plan, and coach Peoples changed my career, taught me so many different things."
The switch ended up turning Robinson into a legitimate NFL Draft prospect. With the help of his newfound positional versatility, Robinson led a dominant Missouri front seven with 14 tackles for loss and 8.5 sacks. He was easily one of the best players on either side of the ball for the Tigers, who ended the 2023 season 11-2 with a victory over Ohio State in the Cotton Bowl as the cherry on top.
Most importantly to Robinson, his efforts along with the outgoing senior class helped put Missouri back into the national spotlight, which hadn't been the case for years.
"I'm glad our whole group of seniors left an impression of how Mizzou is," Robinson said. It's up to our new team to hold the standard, 'cause we on the map now."
After helping put his team on the map, Robinson has put himself on the map throughout the pre-draft process. His first stop was at the Senior Bowl in Mobile, Al., where Robinson annihilated opposing offensive lineman all week long. His efforts earned him "Overall Practice Player of the Week" by a panel of NFL scouts and front office executives.
It also caused his draft stock to skyrocket. Heading into the week, Robinson was projected to be taken around the third or fourth round. After the week was over, spectators buzzed about Robinson potentially going in the first round.
To Robinson, however, his domination shouldn't have been surprising at all.
"I definitely think it helped a lot," Robinson said when asked if the Senior Bowl improved his draft stock. "But it's funny. I told everybody, rewatch our tape from the whole season, I was the same guy every week. So for people to just now realize, I mean, it's S.T.P. at Mizzou, Something to Prove, and I've been the same guy the whole season."
That guy who continuously showed up for the Tigers is the complete package: quick, fast, powerful and versatile. While the 2024 defensive end class is loaded with high-level talent, Robinson believes that he's at the top.
"I would say I'm the best," Robinson said. "I play every position. I can play from a 0 to a 9. I play physical. Imma run. Imma hit somebody. I can do everything. I just want an opportunity to put my cleats in the ground and play as fast as I can."
While Robinson is an older prospect at 23 years old, he believes there's still plenty of room for him to improve.
"Coach {Steve} Wilks, he always used to say 'stay green', so I'm constantly evolving, constantly finding ways to get better," Robinson said.
Another potential knock on Robinson is that he's bigger for a defensive end, which makes sense considering that he played on the interior until last season. But when asked if he needed to show this week that he's fast enough to play in various places along the line, Robinson didn't exude any doubt.
"I don't think so," Robinson said. "I played in the SEC and I dominated. Just cut my tape on it."
Now, the final steps are right in front of Robinson. After the NFL Scouting Combine is the NFL Draft in Robinson's quasi-hometown of Detroit (Robinson grew up in Southfield, which is about a 20-minute drive from the Motor City). Robinson said it'll be a "dream come true" to hear his name called so close to home.
While the draft will likely bring about unprecedented levels of joy, Robinson knows that this is simply the beginning of another journey, one in which he'll have to constantly improve and overcome obstacles. However, Robinson is used to that.
He's always had something to prove.
"My story's just starting. I'm not satisfied with being here," Robinson said. "I gotta go dominate now."
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