College coaches praise Cardinals DL Darius Robinson’s violence and versatility

With the 2024 NFL draft taking place nearly two weeks ago, college coaches have digested and analyzed some of the biggest picks, including DL Darius Robinson, the Arizona Cardinals 27th overall pick.

ESPN’s Adam Rittenberg spoke anonymously with head coaches and assistants from every power conference, hearing distinct perspectives and opinions about players looking to make an impact at the next level.

One SEC coordinator was happy to see Robinson’s strong Senior Bowl performance.

“I’m glad he showed out at the Senior Bowl because I saw it in person,” the coordinator told Rittenberg. “He’s strong, he’s violent, he’s twitchy. He’s what you look for in an NFL D-tackle.”

Another SEC coordinator praised Robinson’s versatility.

“He’s an all-around player: Pass-rusher but heavy-handed, can play the run, do a lot of different things, more athletic than you think, great size, good player,” the coordinator said.

However, that same coach pointed out that Robinson plays the 4-technique much better than the 3-technique. In 4-technique, defenders line up face-to-face with the offensive tackle, while in 3-technique, defenders line up on the guard’s outside shoulder, between the guard and the tackle.

The defensive lineman was First-Team All-SEC for the Missouri in 2023 with 43 total tackles, 8.5 sacks and 14 tackles for loss.

Rittenberg noted how Robinson dealt with injuries for chunks of his career, but the 6-foot-5, 285-pound defensive lineman appeared in 25 games in his final two seasons, which included 22 starts.

Robinson isn’t the only newcomer to the Cardinals defensive line. He will join up with NFL veterans like Justin Jones, Bilal Nichols and Khyiris Tonga, who were all signed this offseason. L.J. Collier and Dante Stills are other defensive lineman who will compete with Robinson. As a first-round selection, Robinson has a solid chance at starting.