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Denard Robinson: Future Jet?


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Jets Ponder Another Running QB

By KEVIN CLARK

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Cal Sport Media/Zuma Press

The Jets appear to be the most interested suitor in Michigan quarterback-turned-wide receiver Denard Robinson.

MOBILE, Ala.—After a season in which the Jets failed to turn Tim Tebow into an asset, they are seriously considering plucking another jack-of-all-trades quarterback in this year's NFL draft.

The team appears to be the most interested suitor in Michigan quarterback-turned-wide receiver Denard Robinson. Jets brass met here with Robinson on Monday night, his longest meeting with any team so far. He said Tuesday that he felt the interest was genuine, calling the meeting a "great deal."

Robinson is an intriguing prospect since he isn't expected to even attempt to play quarterback at the pro level, and for good reason. He is listed, generously, at 6 feet, and he broke Pat White's record for career rushing yards by a quarterback. In two of his four seasons at Michigan, he had more rushing attempts than he did passing attempts.

And so at this week's Senior Bowl, Robinson—who isn't cleared for contact after a nerve injury in his right elbow sustained during the season—is trying to prove to the Jets and the rest of the league that he can do something else.

Robinson returned punts Tuesday and said he is picking the brains of fellow Michigan receivers Roy Roundtree and Jeremy Gallon about playing wideout. When he leaves Mobile and resumes training, Robinson said he would focus on catching live-action punts with his Michigan teammates. He is expecting to play in Saturday's Senior Bowl, an annual showcase of top college players.

If Robinson can play receiver, his quickness could help the Jets, who ranked 30th in pass yards this season. Their biggest receiving threat, Jeremy Kerley, had a respectable 827 yards this season, but the Jets had little beyond that. Jeff Cumberland was their second-leading receiver with 359 yards; Chaz Schilens (289), Stephen Hill (252) and late-season addition Braylon Edwards (125) rounded out the mediocre group.

It is unclear where, exactly, Robinson will be drafted since this week is more or less his debut as a full-time wide receiver. He would constitute a pick of luxury for the Jets, since they have major holes at offensive line and safety, one of which they likely will address in the first round. They spent a second-round pick on Hill in last year's draft.

Robinson said he is trying to model himself after former Kentucky quarterback Randall Cobb, who has become a star with the Green Bay Packers as a receiver and returner, and former Indiana quarterback Antwaan Randle El, who was a standout all-purpose player last decade with the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Clearly, Robinson shouldn't model himself after whatever it was that became of Tebow with the Jets last season.

Once envisioned as someone who could play a mix of quarterback, running back and punt protector, Tebow never found much of a role with the Jets, and his use in the "Wildcat" package failed to make much of an impact. Tebow finished the season with 39 passing yards and 102 rushing yards.

The difference is that Tebow was married to the idea of playing quarterback, while Robinson, it seems, is open to doing anything.

"I'm just focused on receiver and trying to get better at that," he said. He noted that he enjoyed his role in Michigan's loss in this year's Outback Bowl, where he lined up at running back and rushed 23 times for 100 yards against a talented South Carolina defense.

"There's certainly no question about his quickness, and there's certainly no question about run-after-the-catch because he's a talented guy with the ball in his hands," said NFL Network draft analyst Mike Mayock.

"So the questions are [whether he] can run routes—and by the way, we can teach that—and most importantly, what are his hands like?" Mayock said. And right now it's way too early for me, after one practice when he competed against defensive backs, to say whether he's a natural catcher of the ball or not, and that's what we need to figure out."

Write to Kevin Clark at kevin.clark@wsj.com

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So every player they talk to or have a meeting with at the Senior Bowl (the whole purpose of the event) is going to be a Jet?

The team appears to be the most interested suitor in Michigan quarterback-turned-wide receiver Denard Robinson. Jets brass met here with Robinson on Monday night, his longest meeting with any team so far. He said Tuesday that he felt the interest was genuine, calling the meeting a "great deal."

For whatever its worth.

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If the Jets can resign Braylon; him, Holmes, Kerley, and Hill isn't a bad WR group, and Kerley has proven he can run the wildcat stuff if they continue to want to run those plays in the new offense. Not sure what this guy would bring to the Jets. Yeah, they could use some speed, but I think they'd be better off targeting a speedy RB.

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If the Jets can resign Braylon; him, Holmes, Kerley, and Hill isn't a bad WR group, and Kerley has proven he can run the wildcat stuff if they continue to want to run those plays in the new offense. Not sure what this guy would bring to the Jets. Yeah, they could use some speed, but I think they'd be better off targeting a speedy RB.

This sounds far more like a potential Brad Smith replacement than anything, although I agree with you I'm not really sure I see of what particular benefit that would really be to the Jets. Given the number of areas of significant need the Jets currently find themselves with, it's hardly the time to be spending picks on luxury pick / gimmick player types.

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It's better than last year but still a bottom 10 group in the league and there is no WR 1 there.

IF Hill learns how to catch the football, I'd argue that group could be top half. But anyway good enough to put some points on the board with a QB that isn't leading the league in turnovers.
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IF Hill learns how to catch the football, I'd argue that group could be top half. But anyway good enough to put some points on the board with a QB that isn't leading the league in turnovers.

Got to agree.

Hill is the big question mark. With his speed size combo, he could be the perfect WCO WR.

If he doesn’t learn to catch the ball and run routes then the group is middle of the pack

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If you have a good system and some pro receivers (a la New Orleans), a good accurate QB can get points. I'd like a No. 1 too---love to draw those double teams--but we won't get one this year. So a mid-tier group with some hands might do---in an effective system.

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Denard Robinson is good WR and on a team that already has a lot of talent at other positions he would be a good pick in the lower 1st round. But not with the JETS.

Unless they trade Santonio Holmes and accumulate some picks. They need to find a team that's desperate to provide their young QB with some added weapons. Not sure anyone will bite. Maybe the Seahawks. Maybe we trade Matt Flynn for Holmes. I know too many maybe's in there.

OR

They trade down way lower in the first round and accumulate some picks along the way.

For the JETS WR corps to be competitive a lot would depend on how Stephen Hill progresses. To say he was RAW in his first year would be an understatement. But he has the tools to be a weapon in the NFL. So if Hill lives up to his promise along with Kerley and resigning of Braylon, along with Holmes/higher draft pick and our receiving corps might be good.

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Denard Robinson is good WR and on a team that already has a lot of talent at other positions he would be a good pick in the lower 1st round. But not with the JETS.

Unless they trade Santonio Holmes and accumulate some picks. They need to find a team that's desperate to provide their young QB with some added weapons. Not sure anyone will bite. Maybe the Seahawks. Maybe we trade Matt Flynn for Holmes. I know too many maybe's in there.

OR

They trade down way lower in the first round and accumulate some picks along the way.

For the JETS WR corps to be competitive a lot would depend on how Stephen Hill progresses. To say he was RAW in his first year would be an understatement. But he has the tools to be a weapon in the NFL. So if Hill lives up to his promise along with Kerley and resigning of Braylon, along with Holmes/higher draft pick and our receiving corps might be good.

LOWER FIRST ROUND? For a guy who's never played WR before or run a route? Keep dreaming with that... He's a day 3 pick.
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Ok. Although I would not be surprised if that happens.

Denard Robinson has looked lost at wide receiver thus far in the Senior Bowl practices and no one knows how healthy his arm is. I would be less surprised if he doesn't get drafted than I would be if he were a first round pick.

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Since when did Denard become a good WR? As another poster stated, he looked lost as a WR. Could he learn and become good? Maybe, but that depends on who is developing him and how much talent he really has. He was always overhyped as a QB. He had some nice games for Michigan early on, but then anytime he played good competition, he stunk.

And the wildcat really doesn't work. It was nice fascination, but it's always the same thing. What the Jets need is a real QB who can do multiple things or can be a great pocket passer. The new QBs like RG3 and Kapernick can run and pass and it doesn't have to be some weird formation where a new QB comes in and they run the ball 90 percent of the time. Dernard, EJ, etc are not NFL QBs. They aren't NFL WRs. If they get picked up in the 6th round as an afterthought, why not. Maybe they can develop and become something. But wasting picks on these guys to me is just that, wasting picks for guys that aren't going to turn the Jets into a contender.

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Denard Robinson has looked lost at wide receiver thus far in the Senior Bowl practices and no one knows how healthy his arm is. I would be less surprised if he doesn't get drafted than I would be if he were a first round pick.

I did not say that it was a 100% certainty. But sometimes some teams have a hard on for players that are looked as weapons even if they suck at that position. IIRC Tebow was projected to be drafted in the 3rd round.

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I did not say that it was a 100% certainty. But sometimes some teams have a hard on for players that are looked as weapons even if they suck at that position. IIRC Tebow was projected to be drafted in the 3rd round.

I dont like Tebow as a QB, but at least he won national championships and put up big numbers in college. Dernard never won anything and wound up losing his job as a QB in college. Big Difference.

Can Robinson become a player in the NFL? Of course. But it'll take the right team, right coaching, and right talent. I think a Brad Smith is a good example, but he's really a good special teams player. He's not a WR. He's not a QB or RB. He might come in now and again, but his strengths are on special teams. And it takes a lot of desire to play on Special teams and not much else. Most players think too highly of themselves to just be some great special teams guy.

Saying all that, like I said, a 6th round pick on him and see if he develops would be great. But you aren't winning a super bowl or getting to one because of Dernard Robinson.

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I dont like Tebow as a QB, but at least he won national championships and put up big numbers in college. Dernard never won anything and wound up losing his job as a QB in college. Big Difference.

Can Robinson become a player in the NFL? Of course. But it'll take the right team, right coaching, and right talent. I think a Brad Smith is a good example, but he's really a good special teams player. He's not a WR. He's not a QB or RB. He might come in now and again, but his strengths are on special teams. And it takes a lot of desire to play on Special teams and not much else. Most players think too highly of themselves to just be some great special teams guy.

Saying all that, like I said, a 6th round pick on him and see if he develops would be great. But you aren't winning a super bowl or getting to one because of Dernard Robinson.

I am so sorry I mentioned Tebow. Tebow trolls here in 3, 2, 1......

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Who cares about Sanchez. What QB needs a WR who is more gimmick than good.

Sometimes I wonder about coaches and teams. Are they that arrogant?

Dernard seems like a good kid, has a lot of talent. But he was never a good QB. He wasn't going to be a RB and at this point, he was never a WR. Maybe if he came into college as a WR, great, but why spend a draft pick and money on some guy who would be years away from being an avg WR? There are a ton of talented WR with college experience that are far better and have more upside than Robinson.

I guess teams see 1 out of every 1000 kids who were a QB, suddenly became Randle EL who was a good special teams player on a good team and they think they can convert everybody who isn't really a QB, but has other skills. Most the time it's just wasted draft picks.

And it seems these guys aren't all that important to the teams because Randle El was gone a few years later, Brad Smith lasted a short time in Jetsland and so on.

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