The Tampa Bay Buccaneers could be primed to add some teeth to head coach Todd Bowles‘ defense, by adding athletic Penn State pass rusher Chop Robinson in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft.
Robinson, 6-foot-3 and 240 pounds, is viewed as one of the most explosive and athletic pass-rushers in this year’s draft class and could be a plug-and-play starter along the Buccaneers’ front-seven.
In ESPN’s latest mock draft projection, with Field Yates and Mel Kiper Jr. alternating selections, Yates projects the Buccaneers will tab Robinson with the No. 26 overall pick in this year’s draft, later this month.
“Tampa Bay has primary needs at edge rusher and on the interior offensive line,” Yates writes. “Robinson had modest college production (4.0 sacks in 2023), but his first-step quickness and effort level are undeniable. He’ll be a more productive pro than college player.”
Across three collegiate seasons, including spending the last two in Happy Valley after transferring from Maryland, Robinson produced 11.5 sacks and 20 tackles for loss, but his athleticism and explosiveness could raise his NFL ceiling significantly once he gets into a full offseason conditioning program.
Chop Robinson NFL Draft Scouting Report
While Robinson didn’t put up major production in college, he tested off the charts at the NFL Combine and during the pre-draft process.
In Indianapolis, Robinson ran the 40-yard dash in a blistering 4.49 seconds, underscoring his explosiveness.
“He’s ultra-twitchy,” NFL Media’s Lance Zierlein writes of Robinson, comparing him to All-Pro Micah Parsons. “With the explosiveness to get on top of blockers and overwhelm them in an instant. However, he will need to level up his hand skills and attack angles to reach his potential against NFL tackles. Robinson’s electric athletic traits alone should give him a floor as a good NFL starter.”
Pro Football Focus credits Robinson with an elite 90.9 overall grade for the 2023 season, adding that Robinson posted an elite 20.9 pass-rush-win-rate, in the process, as one of the premier edge rushers in this year’s class.
“I get the comparison to Micah Parsons,” an NFC National Scout tells NFL.com. “But I think Parsons was a little more polished as a football player when he came out. Chop is still a little green.”
What Chop Robinson Would Bring Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Buccaneers’ pass-rush held its own last season, finishing 10th in the league with 48.
However, after the Atlanta Falcons added veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins this offseason, and the potential that Bryce Young makes major strides in his development with the Carolina Panthers, the Buccaneers can’t have enough dominant edge rushers if Tampa is going to defend its NFC South crown.
Robinson could potentially be the top of player who anchors a pass-rush.
“I’d say a guy who can get off the ball, a guy with some speed, a guy that can bend crazy,” Robinson said, via the Buffalo News. “I think that makes the best pass rusher, a guy that can bend and use his hands.
“I’d definitely say my bend [is my best attribute]. Being able to dip my shoulder and lead with my hands and still use my speed. So, I’d say I’m best with that, and that’s not normal to see.”
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