After Michael Brockers agreed to join the Baltimore Ravens, the Los Angeles Rams wasted no time finding his replacement. One day later, they agreed to a deal with former Lions defensive lineman A’Shawn Robinson, a former second-round pick.
He’ll likely play nose tackle and defensive end in the Rams’ scheme, contributing primarily as a run-stuffer. He hasn’t been the force in the NFL that he was in college, but it’s still a nice addition for Los Angeles.
Here are four things to know about Robinson as he joins the Rams.
Up-and-down PFF grades
Robinson was a beast at Alabama, but he’s had mixed reviews in the NFL. His grades from Pro Football Focus have been up-and-down, earning only one mark above a 67.0 in four seasons. Here are his PFF grades in the NFL.
2016: 62.9
2017: 66.7
2018: 89.7
2019: 56.0
Robinson’s best statistical season was in 2017 when he had 53 tackles, six QB hits, a pick-six and a forced fumble. However, he was most efficient in 2018 when he accounted for 10 pressures, 49 tackles and one sack, earning his highest PFF grade in the NFL.
Made history under Nick Saban at Alabama
As a true freshman at Alabama in 2013, Robinson recorded 5.5 sacks and eight tackles for loss. In doing so, he became the first player ever to lead a Nick Saban team in sacks as a true freshman.
His numbers dropped off in 2014 as he didn’t have a single sack, but he bounced back in 2015 with 3.5 sacks, 7.5 tackles for loss and 46 total tackles. His freshman year was truly the high point of his college career, though.
Has a knack for batting down passes
Robinson may not offer much as a pass rusher, but he does have an impact against the passing game. As a rookie in 2016, Robinson batted seven passes at the line of scrimmage, leading all defensive tackles in the NFL. The following year, he knocked down six passes, which ranked second at his position.
He’s only knocked down three passes in the last two seasons, but that’s partly because he was a part-time player and played less than half of the Lions’ defensive snaps. But he’s great at timing his jumps and getting those large mitts up to bat down passes.
His mom brought his birth certificate to little league games
Looking at Robinson, you’d think he was a 32-year-old veteran. He’s not. He’ll be 25 on March 21, which is hard to believe. People overestimating his age is something he’s dealt with throughout his life, going all the way back to his little league days.
His mom used to bring his birth certificate to his games just to prove he was allowed to play.
“She had to bring my birth certificate every single time,” Robinson said back in 2016.
Even in college, Robinson was mistaken for a 35-year-old coach instead of a 20-year-old player.
