After what can only be described as terrible offensive line play in 2020, it is clear that Les Miles and company are putting an emphasis on adding reinforcements to that group.
The Jayhawks added their fourth offensive lineman to the 2021 recruiting class Tuesday night, when Corey Robinson II announced his verbal commitment via his personal Twitter account. Robinson, who is rated as a three-star prospect by Rivals, is listed as a 6-foot-5, 270-pound offensive tackle from Roswell, Georgia.
Benton Smith, our Kansas football beat reporter, [wrote about the commitment][1] when it happened. Smith noted that KU was the first Power Five program to offer Robinson a scholarship.
But don’t let that fool you. There is plenty to like about Robinson if you look at his game film.
The first play that stood out to me occurred at about the 45-second mark of Robinson’s 10-minute highlight film, which was [posted on Hudl][2] recently. It was a play that was labeled “first pancake of 2020” and really illustrated some of Robinson’s best qualities.
In the red zone, Roswell High School chose to run the ball out of a shotgun formation. Robinson really impressed me with his ability to get to the second level on a zone run after shedding the initial defender. Robinson was able to reach the second-level defender and execute the block in space.
Robinson even drove the linebacker to the ground, showing his mentality of playing until the whistle. In fact, that level of competitive toughness was on display throughout Robinson’s highlight film. The defender appeared to be shaken up after the play, as well.
It was just one play, and Hudl is typically only a place for highlights, but it stood out to me because it really showed Robinson’s best attributes at this point in his career. Many of Robinson’s signature moments came in run blocking, and for good reason. He not only has a distinct size advantage, but he was aggressive at the point of attack.
That specific play in the red zone highlighted Robinson’s willingness to finish blocks. At the beginning of the video, Robinson made note that he had 49 takedowns in 2020. That doesn’t simply come from being bigger and stronger, although that certainly helps.
Many of those defenders ended up on their back because Robinson almost always finished the play. If he does ultimately play at KU, Robinson is probably going to have more success as a run blocker early on his career.
Robinson appears to have a nice reach, which is promising for a potential offensive tackle. He does a solid job of getting to set points. I also liked that he seemed comfortable being in either a 2-point or 3-point stance.
Robinson will likely need to develop in pass protection before he ever plays a meaningful snap. However, Robinson has the potential to make an impact down the road when he does improve his technique in pass pro.
Regardless, it is the latest example of the Jayhawks’ commitment to adding more players for a position of need.
KU currently has four linemen in its upcoming recruiting class, which includes a trio of three-star prospects. Along with Robinson, De’Kedrick Sterns, Christien Hawks and Larson Workman are all verbally committed to KU.
In the Class of 2020, offensive linemen Armaj Adams-Reed, Garrett Jones, Bryce Cabeldue, Nicholas Martinez and Jackson Satterwhite all signed with Kansas. Three of those players have already played at some point this year for the Jayhawks, who have [PFF’s worst pass-blocking grade][3] in all of college football.
Only time will tell if KU’s efforts in recruiting can eventually fix these issues up front.
Check out my highlights from Friday’s game vs. Alpharetta!
9 knockdowns ???? ????
0 sacks allowed
@GridironUatl @caprewett @roswellrecruits @RecruitGeorgia @therealkwat https://t.co/DNtFV4RwV2— Corey Robinson II (@coreyrobinson76) November 15, 2020
Committed????????#wellmade #gojayhawks pic.twitter.com/9eGcUQjcOj
— Corey Robinson II (@coreyrobinson76) November 17, 2020
[1]: http://www2.kusports.com/news/2020/nov/17/ku-adds-georgia-prep-ot-corey-robinson-ii-2021-rec/
[2]: http://www.hudl.com/v/2EHVgQ
[3]: https://www.pff.com/subscribe/college
