Tulane Football Star Joins NFL Team Known for Late Round Success at Cornerback

It's an incredibly tough road to the NFL draft for the select few college football players who make it there.

That road gets steeper trying to find their way on the field, especially for later-round draft picks.

However, where a player lands often matters more, and in the right situation, team fit can take precedence over draft selection.

That rings true for former Tulane Green Wave cornerback Micah Robinson, who was selected by the Green Bay Packers in the seventh round at No. 327 overall.

The only cornerback drafted by the Packers has a teammate he can emulate in later-round success.

Packers Rookie Micah Robinson Draws Comparison to Carrington Valentine

Mike Spofford of Packers.com recently dove into an analysis of Robinson as he drew parallels to another cornerback who was taken in the same round.

"Two years ago the Packers selected another cornerback in the seventh round, Carrington Valentine, further proof the Packers know how to pick them late in the draft," Spofford said.

The video included commentary from Valentine himself, who led the team and was No. 7 among NFL rookies with nine passes defended in his first season.

Valentine made 12 starts and played in all 17 games in 2023, posting 32 solo and 43 total tackles, along with a fumble recovery.

“I’m never going to forget my draft experience ever," Valentine said. "I’m going to make the most of it. I’m just trying to build something behind my name. I guess it doesn’t really matter where you got drafted; it’s just the opportunity you get and what you’re going to do with it."

For seventh-round picks like Valentine and now Robinson, that often leads to a valuable chip on their shoulder.

The dream is to hear their names called during the NFL draft, but that dream can look daunting when joining a roster as one of the team's final selections.

Robinson, when speaking to reporters earlier this month, acknowledged the comfort he can find in that pathway in Green Bay, one with a wide open spot at cornerback.

"Seeing that it’s been done before, that always gives you more confidence, just following those guys footsteps, getting the trust from the veterans and things like that," Robinson said. "Then getting the trust from the coaches will allow me to get on the field and show what I can do."

Robinson also is joined by similar rookie prospects in Kalen King and Kamal Hadden, who were drafted in the seventh and sixth rounds last season, and Johnathan Baldwin, who signed as an undrafted free agent.

Knowing that the Packers have previously developed later-round picks at the position, Robinson's sole pre-draft visit takes on a new level of importance with his NFL team.