The Pittsburgh Steelers selected linebacker, Mark Robinson in the 7th round of the 2022 NFL Draft . He has only been active for three games this season with Myles Jack, Devin Bush and Robert Spillane remaining healthy throughout the majority of the year. The late round pick wasn’t even recognized as a linebacker until his final year at Ole Miss in 2021. He flashed in the preseason for Pittsburgh displaying both speed and the ability to hit hard. His chances have been minimal, but he has soaked it all in and got his first real action in Week 15 against the Carolina Panthers.
He played just seven snaps in Carolina, but was noticeably fresh and flew around the field, attacking the line of scrimmage. His teammate, Jack, was complimentary of Robinson looking ahead to his potential future:
“He’s going to be a good one,” Jack said, who was inactive due to injury, allowing Robinson to crack the lineup. “You can just tell. He’s ready to go.”
Robinson recently spoke with the media about the constant calls for him to get onto the active roster on a more permanent basis:
“I just try to be blind to it,” Robinson said. “It is rat poison. That’s what we play for, if people don’t know, but if my mind isn’t focused, I am going to go out there and look bad. Then I wouldn’t have that many fans. People try to compliment you so much that you just can’t listen to them.”
Spillane, Bush and hybrid linebacker, Marcus Allen will all be free agents come the off-season leaving just Jack and Robinson as the only two players who are set to be retained via their contract status. The organization will add through free agency and possibly the draft, but there is no doubt that he could turn into a starter in the future according to Mark Kaboly of The Athletic:
“It might be a stretch to assume Robinson will be plugged into the starting lineup next year, but it also isn’t out of the question,” Kaboly wrote.
Robinson said getting ready to play, even though he may be inactive most weeks, is one of the most important things for him at this stage of his career:
“For me, it is just a day-to-day process. You never want to overthink it,” Robinson said. “I have been playing a game for a long time. Preparation is key. You take care of your preparation day in and day out, and you would imagine it would pay off someday, baby. I want to show I have what it takes to be here.”
Pittsburgh may have found a diamond in the rough with the young linebacker. He is raw and definitely still has a lot of learning to do, but the door will be open for him to make an impact in his second year due to the expected roster situation. It says a lot for Jack to compliment him considering his experience and the fact that he practices with Robinson on a weekly, and almost daily basis. He will hopefully turn into an absolute steal late in his draft class.
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