Scouts like to be able to put prospects in a nice, tidy box. That includes where they view them on big board. But Amik Robertson made life difficult for them. An undersized (5-8, 187 pounds) corner who put up some outstanding numbers (14 interceptions and 48 pass breakups), but it wasn’t in a power five conference (Conference USA) at Lousiana Tech.
These details make it hard to place Robertson. Prior to the draft, The Athletic’s Bob McGinn didn’t have the highly productive 3-year starter among his top defensive backs. He was listed in a section all his own as a ‘Scouts’ Nightmare’.
Every now and then, however, Lousiana Tech would face a big-time program, offering a glimpse of what these players can do against upper-level competition.
When the Bulldogs opened last season against the Texas Longhorns, that gave such an opportunity. Robertson stepped up including putting up two pass breakups in the game. One scout who spoke with McGinn came away very impressed.
“One of my favorite players in the whole draft. He went up against Collin Johnson (of Texas, who is 6-5 ½, 222) and fought him the whole game. Like Terrell Buckley, if he’s coming through town he’s gonna get shot but he’s gonna do some damage himself.”
As much as Robertson may have baffled scouts as to where to place him, he has drawn wide praise from the draft world, or rather the Raiders have for pulling the trigger on him with their final draft selection last weekend.
Today, NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein listed Robertson as one of his three best picks in the fourth round, I placed him at the top of my rankings of the Raiders draft picks, and Pro Football Focus thought very highly of him as well.
Sounds like the bottom of the fourth round was Robertson’s floor with many seeing a potentially much higher ceiling.
