What does Washington have in Brian Robinson, Jr.?
May 31, 2022
by Steve Thomas
Washington drafted a player this year who, if all goes well, will serve as a cornerstone of Washington’s running game for years to come. Brian Robinson’s selection in round 3 was met with praise in most circles. I previously wrote about the possibility that Robinson and Antonio Gibson could be a classic two-headed monster for the team (click here to read). But what does Robinson’s college film really show?
Robinson, 6’2” and 225 pounds, stayed at Alabama for a full 5 seasons, playing in a total of 55 games, gaining 2704 yards in 545 carries, for an average of 5.0 yards per carry, and 29 touchdowns, plus 52 receptions for 446 yards, 8.6 yards per reception, and 2 touchdowns. In 2021, Robinson had 271 carries for 1343 yards, 5.0 yards per carry, and 14 touchdowns, plus 35 receptions for 296 yards, 8.5 yards per reception, and 2 touchdowns. He earned First Team All-SEC honors in 2021. At the NFL Combine, he ran the 40 yard dash in 4.53 seconds, jumped 30 inches in the vertical leap and 9’11” in the standing broad jump.
The view that Robinson is a power back is justified by his film. Check out this play from Alabama’s 2021 game against Ole Miss:
Notice that this play is a traditional run out of the I formation through the interior gap. Robinson is able to drag multiple Ole Miss defenders several yards down the field. His film is loaded with plays like this. It’s not spectacular, but it’s effective. Obviously, he won’t be able to drag NFL-quality linebackers and defensive backs on any sort of regular basis like he does against inferior talent like Ole Miss, but this play is nonetheless a good example of Robinson’s preferred play style. This second play, also from the Ole Miss game, shows much the same thing:
This time, Robinson has a lead blocker, but it’s a similar play: he heads through the interior gap, keeps churning his legs and has the play strength to drag a few defenders down the field for several yards. It should be said that the Ole Miss game was the second-best game of his collegiate career, but this sort of play is a fairly common feature of his game. This is the sort of play at which Robinson excels.
Robinson’s play isn’t limited to just interior gap plays, though. This is the first play of Alabama’s national championship game against Georgia back in January:
Here, the play is to the left edge. The blocking goes left, with the tight end, Cameron Latu, leading the way into what appears to be the “B” gap. This isn’t a spectacular play, but it shows that Robinson is more versatile than a fullback-style player with one skill. The next one, from the Ole Miss game, is a similar play – outside, to the left, with the blocking all slanting left and Robinson again hitting the “B” gap:
These four plays show what Robinson does well: run hard, hit the interior gaps, break tackles. He has good vision and doesn’t normally miss reads, although that is much easier with Alabama’s offensive line in front of him, particularly when they are facing competition of much lesser quality, which is most games minus 3 or 4 at most each year. Robinson is, in fact, a traditional NFL power back who’s used to running out of the I and power I formations, which is something that Washington mostly lacks. He and Antonio Gibson should make a complete tandem who complement each other nicely in that regard. Gibson has talent, but doesn’t excel in power I gap running, and given his background, that might not ever be his strength.
Robinson is also mostly a quality blocking back who hits hard.
Like everyone, Robinson does have negatives. First, despite the fact that he had 35 receptions in college, he wasn’t a big part of Alabama’s passing game. He’s more than capable of clearing out into the flats to be an outlet valve for the quarterback, but I wouldn’t expect much more than that. This is particularly true given that Washington already has J.D. McKissic on the roster, as well as Gibson, the former Memphis wide receiver. Robinson’s role most likely isn’t going to be particularly heavy in the passing game. Also, while he isn’t slow, he isn’t a burner and doesn’t have a ton of football speed as compared to some other NFL running backs. Furthermore, he’s a straight ahead runner – he isn’t Barry Sanders. Robinson is a forward moving, run over the opposition type of player, and that ultimately has its limitations. He’s not going to out-juke many NFL defenders.
Robinson is never going to be a huge home run threat, and his style is such that he needs quality blocking ahead of him in order to succeed. I’m not sure how well he will do in the NFL if Washington’s offensive line doesn’t excel. For example, Georgia held Robinson to just 68 yards at 3.1 yards per carry in this year’s national championship game. He’s not a player who is typically going to create a huge gain out of a little space, at least not on any sort of regular basis. Washington didn’t find a “diamond in the rough” in round 3, necessarily, and Robinson’s talent level isn’t going to put him in the Hall of Fame, most likely, but what he will do is provide the kind of quality straight ahead power running that Washington has lacked for a long time. The only other player on Washington’s roster is probably Jaret Patterson, and he’s an undersized, undrafted second year player. What Gibson doesn’t do well, Robinson can, and vice versa. Gibson and Robinson could potentially be a great tandem for several seasons.