Packers Draft Pick Micah Robinson’s Coach: ‘Get Out of Cement’

Cornerback Micah Robinson made a big jump in transferring from Furman to Tulane last season. He’ll have to do it again as a seventh-round pick by the Green Bay Packers.

His position coach at Tulane, former NFL defensive back J.J. McCleskey, believes Robinson will be up for the challenge.

“I tell you what, it was a pleasure to coach Micah for the one year,” McCleskey told Packers On SI. “Micah’s a player that I would say has a great feel for the game. He made some big plays for us that you just got to have a feel, you got to know that the ball is coming.”

McCleskey pointed to Robinson’s game-clinching interception against Rice and, 12 days later, a pick-six against Charlotte. According to Pro Football Focus, he allowed a 46.8 percent catch rate during his one season with the Green Wave.

“He has a great feel for the game, a great character guy, does a great job of tackling,” McCleskey continued. “I think he was just molded to being a pro, and I’m sure that he is embracing the moment. I was fortunate to play eight years in the National Football League. We always talked about the moment that he’s going to get. If he takes advantage of it like he should, then great things are going to happen. This kid really does a great job of just making plays.”

McCleskey teaches his players NFL coverage techniques. Combined with intelligence, athleticism, film study, eye control and an understanding of leverage in coverage, Robinson emerged as a shutdown corner. According to PFF, he gave up less than 20 receiving yards in nine of 14 games and never more than 55 yards.

“He does a really good job of paying attention, of being an elite listener and watching the film,” McCleskey said. “We break down the film and he’s able to take what we’re trying to take away from the receiver, he does a good job of doing that.

“When your preparation is at a high level, you’re going to make plays. And I think that’s what Green Bay’s getting is a guy that does a really good job of film study and a really good job of working on his technique, a good job of just being a good person and a good teammate.”

As is the case for most cornerbacks entering the NFL, adapting to the rules will be critical. That means hands off the receiver after 5 yards. With 4.42 speed in the 40, Robinson, who was penalized only one time last season, has the speed to match up against most receivers.

“That’s one thing that when our corners get drafted, we talk about, No. 1, at the 5 yards, you can’t touch them,” McCleskey said. “I think that’s probably the biggest thing that he’s going to have to deal with is the speed of the game. He’s played against fast receivers, he’s played against guys that can just go out and fly. But just seeing it more often on an everyday basis, he needs to get his eyes trained to it. Once his eyes are trained to it, he should be all right.”

Robinson has a golden opportunity to make the team. The Packers elected not to re-sign Eric Stokes, Corey Ballentine and Robert Rochell in free agency while adding only Nate Hobbs.

To take advantage of the openings on the roster, Robinson will have to excel where every late-round pick must excel.

Special teams.

In five seasons of college football, PFF credited Robinson with 124 tackles but only 18 misses, a missed-tackle rate of 11.0 percent, which is a solid rate for a defensive back. He played strong run defense, too, even while wearing only 183 pounds.

“Don’t be surprised if he’s on all the special teams,” McCleskey said. “Playing gunner, playing on kickoff, kickoff return. We talk about how do you make an NFL team? We start that at the beginning of the season and we write it down. I think everything that you want to get out of life, you need to write down.

“And we talked about, ‘OK, how do you make a football team?’ And he’s tough enough to play gunner, he’s tough enough to play hold-up, he’s tough enough to play run down on kickoffs and just not be a safety. Go in there and make plays. And I think he understands that, and as long as he understands that, he’ll be able to play his part.”

Special teams were the key for McCleskey, who at 5-foot-8 went undrafted out of Tennessee in 1992. In 1994, he made the Saints’ roster and wound up playing in 78 games for the Saints and Cardinals.

So, based on his track record of playing in the NFL and producing NFL defensive backs, why is Robinson going to maximize his potential?

“Let’s look at it in common sense,” he said. “He’s not a first-rounder. He’s not making the type of money where he has to be kept. So he’s got to get out of the cement. What I mean by that is special teams. He’s got to be on every special team, and he has to have value to the special teams.

“You’ve got to go make plays. Players make plays. If you want to stick for the Green Bay Packers, play special teams and that happens. Then what happens is Year 2, Year 3, the game slows down and you can really become a technician. But the special teams got to be the key to him making the team.”