What to expect in the NFL Draft for Seminoles defensive back Jammie Robinson

Florida State defensive back Jammie Robinson, after two All-ACC years in Tallahassee, will kick off his professional football career this week as the 2023 NFL Draft gets underway.

While Robinson (likely) will not be a first-round pick like Jermaine Johnson was in 2022, there is an expectation that he will be picked on Day 2 of the draft (Rounds 2 & 3) or at the top of Day 3 (Rounds 4-7).

If he gets selected on Day 2 he would be the 6th defensive back since 2015 to be drafted in the first three rounds.

In his time with the Seminoles, he had some eye-popping moments with none other than the blown-up run against Miami staying with Seminole fans and Coach Mike Norvell forever.

This past season he played in 371 coverage snaps only allowing one touchdown, and an average passer rating of 74.6.

The teams that showed interest in him and scheduled pre-draft visits were the Arizona Cardinals, Green Bay Packers, Las Vegas Raiders, and the New England Patriots.

At his pro day, Robinson confirmed that he had met with all 32 teams in the pre-draft process one way or another.

He also mentioned 10 teams having formal meetings with him the combine where he had the opportunity to sit down with the teams GM, Head Coach, and Defensive Coordinator.

The talk around Robinson as a draft prospect has been that he did not show off at the scouting combine, but his versatility, work ethic, instincts at the line, and films prove that he will be a surefire NFL contributor at either nickel or safety and NFL evaluators agree.

“I’ve heard the argument that you can’t play him at safety and he’s not a true nickel. That’s overthinking it. You find a place for him because he can ball.” — Area scout for AFC team

Part of the appeal with him at the next level is the versatility he offers — he can play in either safety position as well as line up in the slot. Over his collegiate career, he logged 600+ snaps at both box and free safety as well as 1,300+ snaps in the slot.

At the next level teams will be using him around the line of scrimmage as a disruptor in the run game, he proved his ability to snuff out runs consistently:

In the pre-draft process, Robinson really stood out at the Senior Bowl, having been named the player of the week at the safety position by the wide receivers and tight ends that he was guarding.

He had a few standout reps in the practice session that went viral on social media:

For any team drafting him, it is not a question of where you fit him in on the field but rather how you can fit in everyone else around him.

Throughout his NFL career, teams are going to value that versatility and use him all over the field.

2023 NFL Draft: Jammie Robinson Predictions

ESPN: Carolina Panthers, Round 5 (No. 145)

CBS: Houston Texans, Round 4 (No. 104)

The Athletic: Cleveland Browns, Round 4 (No. 126)

NFL.com: Las Vegas Raiders, Round 3 (No. 100)

Draft Profile via NFL.com

Robinson went to South Carolina after being named the Georgia Defensive Player of the Year as a senior at Lee County High School. The four-star recruit was named to the SEC All-Freshman Team in 2019, starting three of 12 games played (62 tackles, 1.5 for loss, one interception, four pass breakups).

Robinson started all 10 games for the Gamecocks in 2020 (74 tackles, two for loss, one interception, four pass breakups) before transferring to Florida State the following year. He led the Seminoles with 84 tackles (seven for loss) and four interceptions while breaking up three other passes and forcing two fumbles in 12 games (11 starts) to garner first-team All-ACC accolades. Robinson repeated that honor in 2022, leading his defense with 99 tackles (five for loss), intercepting one pass and breaking up five others in 13 starts on the year.

Overview

Short-armed defensive back with good toughness, a compact frame and the versatility for consideration at nickel back or safety. He thrives when playing downhill, where anticipation and burst provide quick closure to make plays on the throw. He has twitchy feet to match up from the slot but tends to stay behind if he falls behind in the route. He’s a run supporter with a nose for the ball but average stopping power. Robinson lacks ideal measurables and was unimpressive in NFL Scouting Combine athletic testing, but he’s a feisty defender whose success could be determined by how a team decides to deploy him.

Strengths

Plays with urgency on every snap.

Attacks seams and crevices as run defender near the line.

Can make cuts to match runners bouncing wide.

Stalks the route with anticipatory movement.

Breaks on the throw are synced to quarterback’s release.

Drives through his targets to disrupt the catch.

Rushes in for attacks versus quick game.

Versatility to align as free safety or nickel back.

Weaknesses

Takes sloppy angles as downhill run supporter.

Will overstep positioning and lose his leverage.

Length falls below the desired mark.

Receivers can challenge him above the rim.

Fails to make up ground in a foot race.

How to watch 2023 NFL Draft

With ABC providing live coverage for the event, you can watch the entire event for free by tuning into your local ABC Network. Any TV service should give you every local channel within range, which means ABC will be available to watch for this year’s draft festivities. the NFL Networ and ESPN will also broadcast all seven rounds and for Spanish-language coverage, ESPN Deportes will have you covered.

If you’re looking outside of the linear method of watching the 2023 NFL Draft, any streaming service such as FuboTV and YouTube TV will allow you to watch all seven rounds. Coverage will also be provided through the NFL, ABC and ESPN apps. via DKNation

Thursday, April 27 (Round 1)

NFL Network: 8:00 p.m. ET

ABC: 8:00 p.m. ET

ESPN: 8:00 p.m. ET

ESPN Deportes: 8:00 p.m. ET

Friday, April 28 (Rounds 2-3)

NFL Network: 7:00 p.m. ET

ABC: 7:00 p.m. ET

ESPN: 7:00 p.m. ET

ESPN Deportes: 7:00 p.m. ET

Saturday, April 29 (Rounds 4-7)

NFL Network: 12:00 p.m. ET

ESPN (simulcast on ABC): 12:00 p.m. ET

ESPN Deportes: 12:00 p.m. ET