After going offense with the No. 4 overall selection, the Arizona Cardinals made the right decision and went defensive at pick No. 27 late Thursday night.
Arionza selected edge Darius Robinson late in the first round. It marks the franchise's attempt at beefing up a pass rush that struggled to get to the quarterback during the 2023 season.
Robinson, out of Missouri, gives Arizona exactly what it needs.
Robinson, at 22 years old, flew up the draft boards after a successful Senior Bowl where he was voted the "overall practice player of the week" by NFL scouts and executives. He matched that with a dominant Scouting combine appearance.
He’s a tremendous bull rusher. He also constantly hurried opposition quarterbacks and made plays that don’t show on the stat sheet.
Over 47 games played, Robinson recorded 111 tackles including 21 tackles for loss and 13 sacks. He also notched one forced fumble and recovered one fumble.
Robinson is listed at 6-foot-5 and weighs in at 285 lbs. He attended Canton High School (Mich.) and is a Southfield, Michigan native.
All in all, it marks a successful round one for the Cardinals, who earlier in the draft, landed arguably the best wide receiver prospect in recent years.
Robinson will be an anchor on the Cardinals' defensive line for at least a few seasons to come.
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