For the last two years, Penn State fans have watched Chop Robinson terrorize offensive tackles and quarterbacks. Now, Robinson is bringing his tenacious pass rush to the NFL.
Robinson, one of the best defensive ends in college football, has declared for the 2024 NFL Draft. The star edge rusher will forgo the Peach Bowl, he announced Tuesday.
Robinson’s decision should not come as a surprise. He has long been considered among the top prospects in college football and is projected by many to land in the first round.
Robinson, a first-team All-Big Ten pick, was a fixture on the front four the last two seasons. The former five-star prospect transferred to Penn State ahead of the 2022 season after one year at Maryland. Robinson was a handful for opposing offenses to deal with upon arrival.
Robinson used his speed, strength and motor to accumulate 17 1/2 tackles for loss and 9 1/2 sacks in 22 appearances. Robinson’s 20.8% pass rush win rate — which measures how often a pass rusher beats their blocker within 2.5 seconds — ranked tied for eighth nationally, per Pro Football Focus. And his tape was even more impressive than his stats.
Draft analyst Dane Brugler of The Athletic wrote that “Robinson’s body of work says third round, but his ceiling and flashes point to Round 1.” In his most recent mock draft, Brugler projected the 6-foot-3, 254-pounder to the Atlanta Falcons at No. 19 overall.
Robinson is in a strong group of edge rushers. UCLA’s Laiatu Latu, Alabama’s Dallas Turner, Florida State’s Jared Verse and Washington’s Bralen Trice are also first-round talents.
Pro Football Focus draft analyst Trevor Sikkema ranked Robinson as his No. 2 edge rusher: “Robinson is the most twitched-up pass rusher in the 2024 class. He’s still developing his pass rush profile in terms of moves and counters. But his first-step explosiveness and speed-to-power abilities are rare. Those alone make him a first-round target.”
If Robinson lands in the first round, he would be the third Penn State defensive player to do so in the James Franklin era, joining Micah Parsons (2021) and Odafe Oweh (2021).
