Michigan State's Trenton Robinson has speed, skill make him appealing as safety, nickel cornerback | Detroit Free Press
Former Michigan State safety Trenton Robinson worked hard to improve his draft stock with strong performances at the Senior Bowl, the NFL combine and MSU's pro day.
He spoke with nearly every NFL team leading up to the draft and will likely find out tonight in Round 3 or Saturday in Rounds 4-5 where he'll continue playing football.
Wes Bunting of the National Football Post projects Robinson to go to the Lions in the fourth round. Peter Schrager of Fox Sports pegs Robinson as a fourth-round pick for the Vikings. Scouts Inc. has him going in the fifth round to the Texans.
"I'm just excited, anxious," Robinson said. "I have no clue what team is going to be pick me or what round.
"That's the hardest thing. I have no idea. I try not to even worry about it."
A three-year starter at Bay City Central, Robinson went on to help Michigan State win 11 games in back-to-back seasons for the first time in school history. He earned first-team All-Big Ten honors from the media after tying for the team lead with four interceptions and finishing third with 80 tackles in 14 games. He started 32 of 46 games in college at safety and finished with 229 tackles, nine interceptions and 12 pass breakups.
It's hard to find a draft profile of Robinson (5-feet-10, 195 pounds) that doesn't mention him being "smallish" or "undersized." SI.com described him as an "undersized safety with solid ball skills."
He said no NFL teams that he talked to mentioned his size as a negative.
"That just is crazy to me," Robinson said. "Doesn't matter how tall you are."
He recovered a fumble and made two tackles in the Senior Bowl in January at Mobile, Ala. The Lions were among the teams that interviewed Robinson there.
Robinson said NFL teams did ask about his speed. He answered that question by running the 40-yard dash in 4.52 seconds at the combine and 4.43 at MSU's pro day.
"I had to show I was fast," Robinson said. "Every team was asking about my 40."
Robinson's agent, Chase Callahan, said the 40 is always important for safeties.
"Teams are viewing him as a guy who can be a slot corner as well, which is important now with the evolution of the passing game in the NFL," Callahan said. "With so many slot receivers, and the impact that the slot receiver has, Trenton won't have to come off the field. He can be your nickel slot corner and your safety on first and second downs. I think him showing that speed helped his versatility."
Robinson said he knows he has to improve on some of the angles he takes. But he said he has been confident since his sophomore year of college that he could make it in pro football.
"I know my work ethic," he said. "I'll be fine. Doesn't matter fifth round, sixth, as long as I get my opportunity. I know I'll be all right. I still gotta keep working. Still gotta make the team. Still gotta work."&
Join Free Press special writer Nick Meyer for a live blog of rounds 2 and 3 of the NFL draft Friday at freep.com/sports. Former Lions DE Jared Devries will hold a live chat with fans at 2 p.m. Friday, and former LB Scott Kowalkowski will drop by tonight's blog.&
Join Free Press special writer Sean Merriman for a live blog of MSU's spring football game Saturday afternoon at freep.com/sports. Then come back Monday, when beat writer George Sipple answers your questions in a chat at 11 a.m.
