Chicago Bears land quarterback in final 7-round 2020 mock draft
Safety. West Virginia. Kenny Robinson. player. 3. 877. Scouting Report. Pick Analysis
Trade Alert: Bears trade No. 100, 200 and 233 to Browns for No. 97
Here is another trade the Chicago Bears make. This time they move up, using one of the picks they received from New England.
Kenny Robinson had an interesting route to the NFL Draft. He was dismissed from West Virginia due to academic problems. He could have transferred to another school but would need to sit a season. That meant he’d be eligible for the draft in 2021. His mother fell ill to cancer so he was in a financial bind.
Then the XFL came by and he had a chance to jump in. The safety signed with the St. Louis Battlehawks who paid the amount he had remaining on his tuition. After three months the XFL folded and now he is eligible to enter the draft.
More from NFL Spin Zone
- Dallas Cowboys made the trade everyone else should have made
- Pittsburgh Steelers rookie sleeper everyone should be talking about
- Anthony Richardson putting jaw-dropping talent on display immediately
- Denver Broncos’ stud wide receiver might be out for a while
- Washington Commanders: Three takeaways from win over Ravens
The XFL wanted to be a league that high school kids and others who didn’t want to go to college could enter and get experience. The NFL requires a player to be out of high school for three years before being eligible for the draft. League officials wanted to test that out before making waves. Robinson was the only player who qualified for the draft.
Robinson’s experience was good for him. He got his experience against professionals, older players who had some professional experience. He played well, too. In five games played, quarterbacks threw his way eight times. Of those eight passes, he intercepted two of them.
Robinson wasn’t able to go to the NFL Combine but the XFL season was his combine. He explained how his experience in the league helped him, per ESPN.com:
"“Even though it was only five games, I’ve played on a high level that the other college guys haven’t. I played with people who were in the NFL. I was coached by [former] NFL coaches. There’s nothing you can replace that with. A lot of guys can’t get that.”"
Robinson does a good job of processing plays and figuring out what the quarterback wants to do before the play even develops. He has a good body for the position (6-1, 202 pounds).
Robinson is a ball hawk as well. In addition to the two interceptions, he got with St. Louis he had seven interceptions in his two seasons in West Virginia.
Pace has no fear of taking a chance on a player. He took Eddie Jackson when no other team wanted to risk taking him after his broken leg. He could take a chance on another safety (this one healthy though) and get another steal. Pace already met with Robinson so perhaps there is interest on his part.