Penn State knew it had one first-round draft pick when the 2024 NFL draft got underway with offensive tackle Olu Fashanu being viewed as a first-round talent for over a year. What was in some slight doubt was whether or not it had a second first-round player in the draft pool. Obviously, that answer turned out to be yes when the Miami Dolphins used the no. 21 overall pick to draft edge rusher Chop Robinson.
Robinson had been trending toward a first-round pick leading up to the draft, so his first-round selection was not a shock to see. But sometimes you just never know what will unfold once the first round gets past a certain point and the anticipated locks for the top half of the draft fly off the board. Team needs may vary as the draft progresses and trade could impact a team’s decision-making. But for the Dolphins, having Robinson right there at no. 21 was all that was needed.
Dolphins general manager Chris Grier reflected on the decision to draft Robinson with the no. 21 pick with the media, and he said it was just a matter of taking the best player available at that point in time.
“I mean obviously you always look at your roster for what it is, but for us it was, like we’ve talked about, just adding the best players in the draft at that point,” Grier said, according to ESPN. “He was rated as one of the top players in this draft for us, so adding him, especially rushing the passer in this league with all the great quarterbacks and the skill, the ability to rush with four and not have to blitz every down and stuff, that creates an advantage for the defense.”
Take a look around the division the Dolphins play in and you can see why pass rushers are important. The Bills have Josh Allen, arguably one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL. The Jets have Aaron Rodgers, with Fashanu now getting settled in to help protect him. The Patriots just used their top pick in this draft to select North Carolina’s Drake Maye with the hope he becomes a reliable franchise quarterback after seemingly swinging and missing with their last attempt at replacing Tom Brady. And of course, the Dolphins know there are some other quarterbacks in the conference that need to be pressured, like Kansas City’s Patrick Mahomes.
Grier says he and the Dolphins were very happy to see Robinson available when it came time to make their selection.
“So for us, he was a player that we had in high regard with high grades, for us to add him, we were again very excited to have him.”
We shall see how it all plays out down the road. Robinson was hoping Miami would make the call, and now it is up to him to prove they made the right one.
Follow Kevin McGuire on Threads, Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook.
[lawrence-related id=43929,43862,43842]