by Ryan Myers
Photo courtesy of Hookem Headlines.
At Draft 412, the NFL draft talk never ends. We will keep you ready for the next set of gridiron stars—from today and all the way until draft night 2024. We will bring you mock drafts, player profiles, individual team needs, and everything else you may need related to the 2024 NFL Draft.
Today’s Spotlight - Texas, Running Back, Keilan Robinson
Name - Keilan Robinson
Pos - RB
Team - Texas Longhorns
HT/WT - 5’9” 188 lbs.
Born - 2/16/2001
Home – Washington, DC
Keilan Robinson is a 5’9”, 188 pound all-purpose running back out of St. John’s High School in Washington, DC. In high school, Robinson earned a 4-star recruit rating from ESPN and Rivals.com while getting a 3-star rating from 247sports. As a junior at St. John’s High School, he helped them to the 2017 Washington Catholic Athletic Conference championship.
As a freshman, Robinson had 39 carries for 254 yards and 2 touchdowns. His usage was limited but he made a good impression in his opportunities while averaging 6.5 yds per carry.
Prior to what would have been his sophomore season at Alabama, Robinson opted out of the football season due to COVID-19 and did not play a single down. When he returned in 2021, he chose to transfer to Texas, following his former coordinator, Steve Sarkisian. There, he had his best year of his college career so far. He tallied 45 carries for 322 yards averaging 7.2 yds per carry. He was used sparingly in the passing game where he hauled in 7 receptions for 57 yards.
The usage Robinson received in his sophomore year was impressive given that he shared the backfield with Atlanta Falcons RB and college phenom Bijan Robinson, as well as Chicago Bears RB Roschon Johnson. In Robinson’s junior season, his usage in the run game diminished, but his deployment in the passing game was a completely different story. He had 20 receptions for 219 yards and 3 receiving touchdowns.
Now in his senior year at Texas, he shares the backfield with Jonathan Brooks, who is yet another NFL caliber RB for Sarkisian and the Longhorns' offense. So far this year, Robinson has played in all four games but has just 5 carries for 18 yards and 3 receptions for 30 yards.
Robinson is a patient runner and a quality third down back and receiver. He can make tacklers miss and runs with his patience that he looks like he is in slow-motion before he gets to the line of scrimmage. However, he attacks the holes in the line with speed and purpose and possesses a high level of contact balance. His shiftiness and agility makes him difficult to tackle in open space, but his power allows him to break through arm tackles consistently. He will make a versatile weapon for any team at the next level.
However, Robinson has some downside to his game. He’s smaller than most scouts want to see for backs and isn’t an asset in blocking schemes. This makes it tough for him to run through physical tackles and for him to set effective blocks on edge rushers or inside defensive linemen in the pass game.
One possible player comparison for Keilan Robinson is former Atlanta Falcons and Pittsburgh Steelers RB, Erric Pegram. Pegram was the exact same size as Robinson at 5’9” and 188 pounds. Pegram had one thousand-yard rushing season in 1993 with the Falcons, gaining 1,185 yards rushing on 4.1 yds per carry. He also hauled in 33 receptions for 302 yards.
The league has definitely changed since Pegram retired in 1997, but he is one of few backs with this size and skill set. A current player with this size and game style is Miami Dolphins RB and Texas A&M product, De’von Achane.
Strengths
- Patience
- Balance
- Receiving Upside
- Shifty/Quickness
Weaknesses
- Blocking ability
- Strength
- Not a tackle-breaker
Final Analysis
Keilan Robinson’s combination of patience, balance and speed make him a very efficient runner who can escape arm tackles and burst through holes in the line. He is agile and shifty with great make-miss ability both in the backfield and out in space.
His lack of strength and size make him unable to make physical runs between the tackles and lacks the ability to be an asset in pass protection. His receiving upside and reliable hands make him a versatile weapon with some big-play potential.
Draft 412 Draft Prediction - Round 5 or Round 6