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Wan'Dale Robinson NFL Draft Profile
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Wan'Dale Robinson Scouting ReportWan'Dale’s dynamic ability shows up on tape — and it all stems from his athleticism. The Kentucky WR is an amped-up athlete with a skill set that’s conducive to pure creation. Robinson is incredibly explosive in the open field. He accelerates quickly and elongates space, and has the speed to turn the corner and get outside on schemed touches. Robinson has elite agility as a runner. He’s a shifty ball carrier who runs with his hips on a swivel. He leans into and out of cuts with ease and stacks moves in rapid succession. He can also set up cuts with a brutal roll step, then transfer his weight in the blink of an eye. Robinson features a smooth and deadly brand of shiftiness in congested areas. Robinson stores a ton of potential energy within his frame. He can stop, start, and explode with rare suddenness. His twitch shows up both as a runner and a receiver. He can set up releases with his effervescent twitch and get defensive backs off-balance with his sheer energy as a player. Beyond that, Robinson has the vertical athleticism to leap for tough grabs and snare passes in midair — giving him some potential as a complete WR. Robinson’s brand of athleticism is supremely exciting, but even more exciting is how he uses it. He uses his loose hips to levy cuts in the open field and manipulates tackling angles. His experience as an RB shows up consistently. The Kentucky WR is a creative ball carrier who knows how to use leverage. He’s very instinctive in the open field, and he uses his full-field vision to disrupt angles and extend plays. Robinson also applies his athleticism as a receiver, and his instincts show up there as well. He can generate displacement early in reps. He’s able to sink his hips into his releases and explode off the line with crisp footwork. Farther down the field, he flashes an understanding of route leverage. Robinson sets himself up against defensive backs, and he can pinch impressive angles as a route runner with his ability to plant and go. Robinson flashes excellent twitch as a route runner. He can burst out of breaks with rare quickness and use measured physicality to fight through tight coverage and peel into space. At the catch point, Robinson also shows some promise. He effectively tracks the ball in the air and can control and contort — not only to follow the ball, but also to minimize contact. He has some measured contact balance. He’s more dense than he appears to be. Additionally, he’s a solid run blocker for his size. He squares up defenders well and is willing to fight on blocks. |
Areas for ImprovementRobinson is an exciting NFL Draft prospect, but there are some limitations in his profile. Most notably, Robinson is just 5’11”, 185 pounds, and he’s likely to measure in shorter than his listed height. His shorter arms limit his catch radius in contested situations, and they can also impact his ability to play bigger CBs. He can get tied up against longer defenders, negating separation, and can also be re-routed in press. Wan'Dale still has room to maximize his route-running ability. He can utilize more deception at times. Robinson doesn’t always sink his hips to full capacity or utilize head fakes at the stem. He’ll need to add more consistent detail at the NFL level, as he’s often simply schemed into space. As a result, his route tree isn’t fully developed yet. He can execute posts, curls, and crossers, but there’s still room to add more. While Robinson has a short-striding, energetic running style, he might not have elite breakaway speed. He can stretch the field, but there are a few instances of him getting caught from behind. Thus, his 40-yard dash might be in the mid-to-high 4.4s. Robinson can’t always secure passes through contact. While he’s a willing blocker with good leverage, his size does limit his ability to sustain blocks at times.
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Wan'Dale Robinson Career at SchoolRobinson was a top-250 prospect in the nation in the 2019 recruiting class. A versatile athlete, Robinson starred at running back, receiver, and defensive back at Western Hills High School in Frankfurt, Kentucky. In fact, Robinson could’ve honestly had a future at defensive back if he wanted to. He had 9 career picks, 16 deflections, and 10 forced fumbles. Even so, Robinson’s brightest moments always came on offense. Robinson was a dominant playmaker for Western Hills. He amassed 8,500 total yards of offense and 130 total scores over his four-year varsity career, and ran for over 2,000 yards in two seasons. As a senior, Robinson carried the ball 206 times for 1,973 yards and 30 touchdowns. He also caught 31 passes for 725 yards and 11 touchdowns. A four-star recruit, Robinson signed with Nebraska, and played for the Cornhuskers in 2019 and 2020. Over that two-year span, he caught 91 passes for 914 receiving yards and 3 touchdowns, while also logging 134 carries for 580 yards and 4 scores. But after two years away, Robinson knew — it was time to come home. Robinson transferred back to his home state of Kentucky, joining Mark Stoops and the Kentucky Wildcats program. Robinson transferred to Kentucky along with Penn State QB Will Levis. Both were joined by new offensive coordinator Liam Coen — who’d been an assistant for the Los Angeles Rams since 2018. Heading into the college football season, excitement was building around the Wildcats’ offense at Kroger Field. And somehow, Robinson has exceeded the high expectations that came with his return. In 12 games, with only a bowl game to go, Robinson has amassed 94 catches for 1,164 yards and 7 scores — while also adding 7 carries for 111 yards. The Levis-to-Robinson connection has been a match made in heaven, but it’s clear that the Wildcats’ offense isn’t the same without the electric Kentucky WR. Robinson has returned to his dominant form. And in doing so, he’s firmly established himself as a strong 2022 NFL Draft prospect. |
Wan'Dale Robinson NFL Draft Player ProfileCreation capacity is becoming increasingly important for NFL receivers. Thus, a player like Robinson is likely to get heightened interest in the draft cycle. Although he’s on the small side, Robinson is one of the most dynamic players in the 2022 NFL Draft with the ball in his hands. With his shiftiness, explosiveness, and instincts in open space, Robinson consistently generates big plays. But beyond that, Robinson also has utility as a pass catcher. He has some traits that are conducive to successful route running, with the speed and burst to be an effective deep threat. And he’s flashed ball-tracking ability and body control at the catch point. Robinson is a tough competitor, and he’s exceedingly versatile, too. His best fit is probably as a slot receiver, but Robinson can line up anywhere, and he thrives in motion. My advice? Get the ball in his hands, and reap the rewards. Robinson is an easy Day 2 prospect, with the high-level creative capacity to be a dynamic chess piece in the NFL.
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