Who The Hell Will They Draft 2009: Oklahoma OG Duke Robinson

by MasterRWayne on Mar 30, 2009 1:43 PM EDT in Who the hell will they draft Comment 53 comments

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A guard? A guard?! A GUARD?!!?!?!!? You can't be serious can you? I mean are you seriously proposing that the Colts take a guard with their first pick? Yes, my friend, that is exactly what I am proposing, and here is why:

Common wisdom is that you take the best available player regardless of position needs. I feel that this is for the most part true, but I have always viewed it as a hybrid of the two; you consider needs, but differ to the best player. In the case of guard, when the Colts pick at 27th the best player on the board will be a guard AND it will fulfill a need. So, who is this "best player" who is a guard late in the 1st round?

Duke Robinson from Oklahoma (and direct relative of the famous "Smokey Robinson) is a beast.

Photo: media.scout.com

Robinson is big (330lbs), strong, tough, durable (never misses games), athletic and quick (5.27 40 time) . He is one of the best offensive linemen to come out of the draft in a long time. He was the anchor and the rock of one of the most prolific offenses in college football history. On top of his superb run blocking he also has excellent pass blocking skills and intelligence because he was part of a pro style offense at Oklahoma. On top of all that he is actually pretty darn quick and can pull well. A 5.27 40 time is very good for a guard.

From Mocking The Draft:

Perfectly sized for a guard, Robinson has the power to engulf defenders one-on-one. Quickly gets into his stance to block in-line on running plays. Does a nice job keeping his feet moving and repositioning himself. An excellent and scary drive blocker. Incredible lower body strength. Typically plays with good leverage keeping a low pad level. Gets good knee bend.

From NFL Draft Countdown:

Huge frame with long arms...Great bulk...Outstanding strength...Very powerful...Tough and physical...Nasty and is a finisher...Gets a great push and can be a dominating run blocker...Is stout at the point of attack...Uses his hands well...Plays with good leverage and bends at the knees...Quick with decent mobility and range...Good awareness and instincts...Versatile...A lot of experience against top competition.

From NFLDraftScout (via NFL.com/Combine):

Can generate movement at the point of attack in short-yardage situations. ... Plays with some nastiness and has the raw power to turn and pancake his opponent. ... Quick, strong hand punch to jolt the defender in pass protection. ... Natural knee-bender who plays with good leverage and balance in pass pro. ... Long arms and strong hands to keep the defender at bay.

But why should we draft a guard ahead of say WR, RB, DT... etc?

Well, first it all, start up front with your offense. A strong o-line helps both your passing game and running game. It is the foundation upon which everything else is built around. Your WR's and QB might be All Pro, but if they don't have adequate time then your play book is going to be severely limited to three step drops and screens like it was for the Colts late last year. Therefore, getting Duke Robinson helps all these areas. He would help both immediately and into the future because he has Pro Bowl potential written all over him and could play in this league for eight plus years. Guys like Robinson can potentially help teams both short term and long term, which is extremely rare to find. They are literally the "gems" of every draft class. Also, factor in that the interior of the Colts line is a big problem right now. We don't know if Ryan Lilja is coming back and Saturday isn't growing any younger. Robinson can start immediately for the Colts and he can be groomed to be Saturday's replacement at center. Getting him instantly upgrades our entire offense.

I know this is not a "sexy" pick, but it is a very sound one. I know WR and DT are the "sexier" picks, but that doesn't mean they are the better ones. With WR's you have to remember it takes 2-4 years to develop those guys so they won't help much, if it all, in the short term. The Colts have the potential to win now so should we not draft players that can help us now? Hall and Garcon already know the playbook and we spent draft picks on them so I say we give them a chance to prove themselves as the #3 WR. Besides passing wasn't our problem last year; our problem was running the ball and the interior of our Offensive Line. Duke Robinson
addresses both of those problems simulataneously. As for DT I really don't think there will be any 1st round DT's at our pick, but we can find talent in rounds 3-5.

Duke Robinson negatives?

From Mocking The Draft:

For any power running team, Robinson is about as good of a guard prospect as there has been in several years. His play is similar to that of Ben Grubbs. Where he struggles most is against quick, gap-shooting defensive tackles who like to get after the quarterback.

From NFL Draft Countdown:

Can be a bit inconsistent...Not a great technician...Isn't real light on his feet...Has lapses in concentration...Poor balance...Will get caught reaching at times...Will have some trouble with quicker defensive tackles...Work ethic has been questioned and tends to skate by on his natural ability...Little immature...Won't be an ideal fit for every team.

From NFLDraftScout (via NFL.com/Combine):

Only marginal balance and lateral quickness to block at the second level, and spends too much time on the ground when trying to block on the move. ... Lack of great quickness shows in pass protection, as he struggles to adjust if his initial punch doesn't slow the defender

I have thought long and hard about this because I am usually of the mindset of not drafting guards until rounds 4-7, but its not unheard of to use a late 1st rounder. The Ravens did it last year and Ozzie Newsome is a very bright GM. I just feel that Duke Robinson addresses so many areas of need for us in addition to being one of the most athletic and talented players in this draft. Besides what is better than being big? Well being big AND athletic... just look.

Photo: i.cdn.turner.com

Editor's Note: View some Duke Robinson YouTube highlights after the jump. --bbs

Duke Robinson dominating at Oklahoma:

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Comments

So many wants...

…so few picks. Ugh – just like I like the idea of Ziggy or Knowshon with our first pick, I like this one, too!!! How nice it would be to see Addai being able to get past the O-Line (assuming someone tells him to stop the Dances-with-Wolves act first)?

by LovinBlue on Mar 30, 2009 2:01 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

he dances because there's no hole

if there were holes he wouldn’t “dance” and would be a Pro Bowl back like he was before the line couldn’t stay healthy.

I got Summer hatin' on me cuz I'm hotter than the sun. Spring hatin' on me cuz I ain't never sprung
Winter hatin' on me cuz I'm colder than Y'all. And I will never, I will never, I will never Fall.
-Lil Wayne, Mr. Carter

by shake n bake on Mar 30, 2009 2:09 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

but whatever

I guess we can try to have a thread that mentions the run game without it turning into an Addai argument.

by shake n bake on Mar 30, 2009 2:15 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

3 and 1

3 and 1 San Diego game… “dances with wolves.” Even Polian called him out on that.

by MasterRWayne on Mar 30, 2009 2:41 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I'm with you

But I couldn’t resist looking a couple things up. Somebody tell me what’s wrong with this picture:

I’ll help you out a bit. They’re on the goal line. The two two blockers (who shall remain unmentioned) are facing our goal line. One of the lineman is obviously engaged with a defensive player. Where is the third lineman? Oh, that’s right, there isn’t one.

I actually think we should play the “Where are the lineman?” game.

Sorry, he can’t do this every play :

Jim Sorgi runs a 4.6 40. That's all I've got to say about that.

by monstersbox on Mar 30, 2009 2:46 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Addai has some pretty big guns tbh.

This line will remain in my signature until the Colts draft Rashad Jennings in 2009.
Oh and I write words and stuff for Stampede Blue.

by KingRichard on Mar 30, 2009 2:49 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Yep

The other thing noticeable is that he’s always falling forward. Which is a sign of a good RB at least trying. Good lower body strength too. I didn’t show this one because it’s from 07

But I think this picture sums up the story of the year:

Richard definitely didn’t want the ground to penetrate the line. If that’s the case, he did a great job all year.

Jim Sorgi runs a 4.6 40. That's all I've got to say about that.

by monstersbox on Mar 30, 2009 2:57 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

This demonstration is priceless

by CooperManningsNotTrying on Mar 30, 2009 10:04 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Dances With Wolves

3rd and goal with 1:02 remaining in 2006 AFCCG – danced at the line even with a huge hole made by Saturday up the middle. It worked out that time though….

by AceOfSpades on Mar 30, 2009 10:13 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

100% with you

I think Robinson’s the 3rd or 4th best O-lineman in the entire draft. He’s been on my radar for awhile. Not to mention he played at LT and RT on top of guard. I easily think he could not only transition, but he’d be a huge upgrade at RT. And the majority of our linemen start as guards when they first come in, which would be an insane upgrade over what we currently have and would be a huge upgrade in the run game.

There are some DTs and positional players I’d say were BPA over him, but if they’re gone, I’d take him over reaching for a “need”. Because we do need him. And placed at guard his first year or two next to Saturday will quickly fix his negatives. His athletic ability is there, he just needs to be molded.

That said, he’d be more of a fantastic “consolation” prize than someone to target over the Hoods, Harvins, and Moreno’s of the draft.

Jim Sorgi runs a 4.6 40. That's all I've got to say about that.

by monstersbox on Mar 30, 2009 2:02 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Almost as "un-sexy" as my drafting a QB

I really, really like this guy, too. He’d help our running backs immensely. Bet he’d easily move over to RT. Lilja is a solid run blocker if he’s back and 100% healthy.
It’ll surprise me if he makes it out of the 1st round.
Nice.

by oldecoltsfan on Mar 30, 2009 2:14 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

We desperately need someone that can pull

But the flipside is that we spent THREE draft picks on the O-line last year. Maybe THOSE guys should be stepping up?

Relying on Hall and Garcon is not a winning strategy at WR. I agree that it all starts with the O-line and we need some solid pickups there. But first-round picks are valuable things, and while o-line is certainly an issue I’m not convinced the issue is lack of personnel. Richard, Justice, and Pollak all showed flashes last year. With all our other needs, I don’t know that a guard is the smartest pick. Then again, I’m not Polian, and I’m not an NFL scout. If they think this guy is the best value at 27 then by god they should draft him. I simply question whether that’s the case.

by slash196 on Mar 30, 2009 2:26 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Richard-Saturday’s heir
Pollak-right guard
Justice-backup guard

They already have those positions settled. Another RT would be just as beneficial as a RB or a WR.

"I saw a commercial on late night TV, it said,'Forget everything you know about slipcovers.' So I did. And it was a load off my mind. Then the commercial tried to sell me slipcovers, and I didn't know what the hell they were."
-Mitch Hedberg

by Colts Homer on Mar 30, 2009 2:45 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

EDIT:

Another RT would be MORE beneficial than a RB or a WR.

by bamock on Mar 30, 2009 3:09 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

depends

an OL rotation isn’t impossible or unheard of, but it generally isn’t done. So an RT will either have instant impact or very little. A RB, or WR will have some impact but they don’t have the ceiling of an every down fixture like an RT could. DT is in the middle. Jerry or Hood in the first would almost certainly get a sizable amount of PT, but DLs rotate a decent amount so it still doesn’t quite touch the RTs upside.

by shake n bake on Mar 30, 2009 4:04 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I’d prefer Loadholt in the second than Robinson in the first if we are going for Sooner linemen, but Robinson would be a great addition. I have given up hope on Diem and would not mind seeing us draft someone like Robinson and cutting Diem.

by Colts Homer on Mar 30, 2009 2:43 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Diem

here here

by AceOfSpades on Mar 30, 2009 10:17 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Good point

Robinson also has experience playing RT at Oklahoma.

by MasterRWayne on Mar 30, 2009 2:44 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Wait

Direct relative of Smokey Robinson? I want him. That has completely changed my outlook on Duke.

by Colts Homer on Mar 30, 2009 2:46 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

seconded

While I agree he sounds like he’d be a real solid pickup in terms of actual play, the idea of having a direct relative of Smokey is very appealing to me, being such a big motown fan

"If you don't [draft me], I promise you I'll come back and kick your ass for the next 15 years."

by psvirsky on Mar 30, 2009 4:22 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

So you're saying

you second that emotion?

by ctnyc on Mar 31, 2009 5:43 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Aye

Thee Smokey Robinson.

But seriously I really like Duke. The kid can seriously play.

by MasterRWayne on Mar 30, 2009 2:48 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Oklahoma do not play a pro style offense, unless wer’e talking about the Houston oilers circa 92. they guy will have to make a transition into more traditional scheme no matter what and that would probably take a year of sitting on the bench. i honestly don’t think there is any chance polian takes him. he is not the best fit for our scheme, and drafting any O-line other than LT in the first round would be a mistake IMO. i think there’s a possibility guard will be drafted by polian this year, just not this high. the kind of guards who fit our system are usually available much later on .

by ColtfanIL on Mar 30, 2009 3:12 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

What?

Oklhoma actually runs an offense very similiar to the Patriots. You don’t see them running a lot of option plays and such. Its a pretty pro offense and you are insane of you think Robinson would sit for a year on any team.

by MasterRWayne on Mar 30, 2009 3:16 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

that doesn’t make it a pro style offense. Run-N-Gun, shotgun spread, whatever you want to call it, that is not a pro style offense. bradford rarely takes any snaps from behind his center, most of their run attempts are from the shotgun formation, no traditional play action fakes. sure, you can argue that almost every NFL team uses its variation of the shotgun spread. some, such as the 2007 pats and warren moon’s oilers used it all the time. Sorry, but that doesn’t make what the sooners play a “pro style offense”. about the sitting on the bench part, okay, i exaggerated. no first round G is ever going to sit on the bench, hes not a quarterback, his role isnt that much more complicated. im just saying, he will need some time to learn the ropes. but then again, every rookie does.

by ColtfanIL on Mar 30, 2009 3:31 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

2nd level

Some draft sights say that Robinson stuggles a bit at the 2nd level even though just as many claim he is very good blocking at the 2nd lvl. If you watch the youtube highlights you will see Robinson is very fast. The dude kills LB’s at the 2nd lvl.

by MasterRWayne on Mar 30, 2009 3:14 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

2nd Round?

What is the likelihood that he will be available for our second round pick?

by TouchdownMonkey on Mar 30, 2009 3:17 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Pittsburgh

Will easily grab him with their early 2nd round pick.

by MasterRWayne on Mar 30, 2009 3:18 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Polian

I wouldn’t want Howard Mudds & Polians job evaluating o-line talent. After watching the video of Robinson its hard to say He looks really good. IMO he looked the same or slightly better than the other 4 o-lineman in the video. I will also add that I haven’t been as impressed with Polians recent O-Line draft choices. Was Ugoh really worth trading away a future first round pick? I’m not sure Pollak was worth being our top pick last year either. I trust Polian more in the later rounds (and rookie free agents) to fill o-lineman needs than I do with day one picks. Use those suckers on d-lineman or offensive skilled positions.

by slider09 on Mar 30, 2009 3:24 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

But...

I gotta say I am not thrilled by the WR draft class outside of that kid from Rutgers.

by MasterRWayne on Mar 30, 2009 3:38 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Ramses Barden

Is a sleeper and as good a value as any of them. He and Harvin are the only two guys I think are worth drafting. Unless Williams is still around in the 3rd. I think Barden might be a high third or even a second. Hard to find 6’6 dudes with a 40" vertical than run a 4.5. Not to mention 2724 yards and 36 TDs the past two seasons with a 22 yard per reception average.

Jim Sorgi runs a 4.6 40. That's all I've got to say about that.

by monstersbox on Mar 30, 2009 3:51 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

A thing that stood out to me (besides his physical gifts) when I saw him during that Under Armour Skills Challenge was his attitude. Alot of people remember his one handed catch from a lob pass, but what stood out to me was what happened beore and after the catch. Before the catch, he screwed up by either running the wrong way or missed some cones, but something in that nature that really didn’t look impressive. That really didnt bother me becuase it was just an unfortunate mistake. But what bother me was that he chose to catch a lob pass with one hand like he was the sh*t and then once he caught it he either did a dunk over the goal post and did some kind of football dance. But really his whole kidish persona throughout the challenge just bugged the crap out of me, and I just can’t imagine Peyton and Polian would put up with some of the stuff that he showed. But if he’s indeed pick by the Colts at whichever round, then forget all of this because he could be that freak of nature in the red zone that the Colts could use.

by ColtsFanNChiTown on Mar 30, 2009 10:21 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Nicks was doing the same thing.

Jim Sorgi runs a 4.6 40. That's all I've got to say about that.

by monstersbox on Mar 31, 2009 8:46 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Didn't know that...

I have just been looking at the projected 1-2 round WR guys. Personally I think most of the Colts draft needs are on offense. We need high picks at Oline, RB, WR whereas with Defense we just need Dline and a few low round LB or DB players.

by MasterRWayne on Mar 30, 2009 3:57 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Nicks' weight thing was weird and a bit concerning, but he's already cut back to around his playing weight

His fat Pro Day was 224lbs

He was listed during the season at 210 to 215 depending on the site.

His combine weight was 212lbs.

He weighed in at the Dolphins workout the other day at 216.

by shake n bake on Mar 30, 2009 4:07 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Something isn’t right here man. He gained an insane amount of weight in a matter of weeks. But yet, a week after his weight gain was reported, he’s almost back down to his playing weight? Um…this guy must have some crazy ass metabolism or something.

This line will remain in my signature until the Colts draft Rashad Jennings in 2009.
Oh and I write words and stuff for Stampede Blue.

by KingRichard on Mar 30, 2009 4:11 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

maybe it was the stress from potentially losing hundreds of thousands of dollars

that helped him cut down so fast.

by shake n bake on Mar 30, 2009 4:16 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Still shows lack of discipline

Not to mention the long term effects rapid weight fluctuation has on the body over the years. If he can’t keep his weight in check when this is pretty much the time any player has to keep it in check, what happens when he gets a contract? Adding 10% bodyfat in a month is pretty severe. Not to mention he lost muscle, and 6 lbs of muscle takes much longer to put back on than it does to lose. He could be losing even more muscle if he’s dropping weight quickly. So even if he drops back to 210, his bodyfat is still going to be higher.

I don’t care if he weighs 300 lbs if his bodyfat is the same as his playing weight. But there’s no way it can be and there’s no way he gained 14 lbs without losing muscle. He literally could go into the draft weight 200 lbs with 12% bodyfat. That’s why they should be doing Hydrodensitometry (the one where they dunk you in a tub of water) as well.

Jim Sorgi runs a 4.6 40. That's all I've got to say about that.

by monstersbox on Mar 30, 2009 4:17 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

why couldn't he have kept muscle on?

I would think the most likely way to put on a bunch of weight would be to lift weights a lot and not be running much (like you might see a guy with a hamstring pull who still needs to be working out do).

by shake n bake on Mar 30, 2009 4:39 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I'm with you shake

I don’t think some minor fluctuations are a reason to bail on the most complete receiver in the draft. If Polian thinks there are character issues then they won’t touch him with a ten-foot pole anyway.

by slash196 on Mar 30, 2009 5:16 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

14 lbs

In one month is not minor. That’s significant. That’s the equivalent of Andre Smith (at his current 325 weight) showing up a month later weighing 347 lbs. And 14 lbs to a pro athlete is MUCH more significant than 14 lbs on a normal person.

Jim Sorgi runs a 4.6 40. That's all I've got to say about that.

by monstersbox on Mar 30, 2009 5:40 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Because if he pulled his hamstring, and stopped doing cardio or leg exercises, there’s no way he can gain 14 lbs in one month without it almost entirely being fat. At the very least, the muscle in his legs would atrophy, so he’d have to be gaining all the weight in his upper body. Not to mention the people that actually saw him in person said it was clearly fat.

Gaining weight and then cutting IS the way to become stronger and look more cut. But there’s an obvious difference just looking at someone who is gaining weight to add muscle and gaining weight and getting fatter. They said his body changed. He would have to be destroying the weight room and would actually look much more muscular if he was gaining the weight through muscle work. I could believe 6-8 lbs, but 14 is significant. You can’t gain that much weight, on a limited workout regime, especially when you’re not doing leg workouts. The legs are by far the most muscular areas of the human body and account for the most amount of muscle weight. Especially on NFL receivers.

Now on the flipside, yeah, maybe his weight is actually higher and he’s just getting back to it. But the downside to that, is that it leads me to believe that he only lost the weight for the 40 time. If his 40 time at a lower weight doesn’t reflect his speed during a game, that’s significant as well. And the hamstring “injury” was just an excuse for the weight gain. Which is also significant.

Jim Sorgi runs a 4.6 40. That's all I've got to say about that.

by monstersbox on Mar 30, 2009 5:38 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Oh

Not to mention if he lost 8 lbs in a week, I’m almost 100% certain it’s not muscle.

Jim Sorgi runs a 4.6 40. That's all I've got to say about that.

by monstersbox on Mar 30, 2009 5:41 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Maybe he's been watching The Biggest Loser

and he drank a lot of water before the weigh-in that found him to be 14 lbs heavier… a 6 pound difference is much easier to believe. Or he was just back from a scuba dive and forgot to drop his weight belt. Or someone was stepping on the scale. Or he grew another leg.

by LovinBlue on Mar 30, 2009 6:33 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Guard would be better than WR

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by MrNFL on Mar 30, 2009 8:14 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Surprised

I have to admit I am a bit surprised at how positevly people have treated this potential pick.

by MasterRWayne on Mar 30, 2009 8:23 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I am hoping...

that it is because most project him as a starting RT upgrade in year 1. Though, it could just be me. If it’s just a guard for the sake of drafting an upgrade at G I wouldn’t respond to it positively. Pollak, Richard, Lilja and Johnson is a rather strong G rotation. I would be stoked to see that Richard has improved on his impressive rookie year and gets a starting spot as it is… maybe finding a way to rid ourselves of Lilja’s contract. shrugs Who knows. Either way, bolstering the OL to me is more important than drafting a RB/WR in round one, if we can’t get a DT. Particularly if Nicks/Robiskie/Harvin are gone at WR.

by bamock on Mar 30, 2009 8:44 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

He's a good player

and could fill one of the big needs (though the stuff about struggling with quick penetrating DTs makes me wonder if he really can handle RT in the pros)

by shake n bake on Mar 30, 2009 9:38 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Maybe...

OR… it could put him at about as good as Diem from day one ;) But I definitely get what you’re saying.

by bamock on Mar 30, 2009 9:58 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

How many quick DTs are even in the division? I can’t think of a single one.

This line will remain in my signature until the Colts draft Rashad Jennings in 2009.
Oh and I write words and stuff for Stampede Blue.

by KingRichard on Mar 30, 2009 10:55 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I think he's saying...

if he can’t handle quick penetrating DTs as a Guard, how can we expect or project that he’ll be able to handle quick/penetrating DEs on the edge. I could be wrong though.

by bamock on Mar 30, 2009 11:02 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

that's what I meant

by shake n bake on Mar 30, 2009 11:03 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I Like it, if Harvin Is Gone

I’m all for giving Howard Mudd as many pieces as possible to give us a line that can get it done when it counts. If Percy is gone by then, I say pick up a WR in round 2 and get the line secure. I still high on Garcon and Hall. Garcon needs reps with someone not named Sorgi and Hall just needs one of the those chambers that Gonzo sleeps in and stay healthy. Polian can still get good value at DT in round three, which is his usual mo anyway.

by vcoxiv on Mar 31, 2009 1:49 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs