2022 NFL Draft Scouting Report: Wan’Dale Robinson





  • Wan’Dale Robinson, 5-11/185

  • Wide Receiver

  • Kentucky


  • Wan’Dale Robinson Scouting Report
    By Charlie Campbell

    Strengths:
  • Phenomenal route-runner
  • Constantly generating separation and getting open quickly
  • Twitchy in and out of breaks
  • Sudden
  • Very shifty
  • Dangerous runner after the catch
  • Excellent with the ball in his hands
  • Elusive in the open field
  • Explosive playmaker
  • Threat to score and rip off long gains on any touch
  • Consistently creates separation
  • First-step quickness
  • Deep-threat receiver
  • Challenges a defense vertically
  • Big-play speed
  • Killer mentality; lethal player who can dominate defenses
  • Good athleticism
  • Experienced; ready to contribute quickly
  • Excelled against elite competition
  • Potential to be a No. 1 receiver in the NFL
  • Tough; takes big hits and stays on the field




  • Weaknesses:
  • Lacks elite, top-shelf speed
  • Short
  • Undersized
  • Ability to hold up in the NFL?


  • Summary: Nebraska football coach Scott Frost is on the hot seat entering the 2022 season, and he almost did not survive 2021. A tremendous mark against Frost’s tenure is that he had a first-round-caliber wide receiver in Wan’Dale Robinson for two years and did not utilize him enough. In 2019 (40-453-2) and 2020 (51-461-1), Robinson was not a featured player in the Nebraska offense. After 2020, he transferred to his home state of Kentucky and proceeded to immediately dominate the SEC. In 2021, Robinson caught 104 passes for 1,334 yards and seven touchdowns. He was a phenomenal No. 1 receiver, and if quarterback Will Levis had been more accurate, Robinson could have put together an even bigger season.

    There is no doubt that Robinson is an explosive playmaker who is a threat to score on any reception. He is a speed receiver with phenomenal quickness and a second gear to accelerate into the open field. Despite being in the SEC, Robinson was a threat who could score from any place on the field, possessing obvious mismatch ability for the next level. Cornerbacks really struggled to run with Robinson, whois extremely quick while being a phenomenal route-runner. His route-running is elite, as he is very sudden and explosive in and out of his breaks. Robinson also has a straight-line burst to beat cornerbacks running vertically. Those things all combine to him easily creating separation and being able to get open quickly for his quarterback.

    When Robinson gets the ball, he is deadly. He has superb yards-after-the-catch ability with his elite speed and elusive moves in the open field. Robinson is so shifty and dangerous at juking defenders, who really struggle to get a hold of him in space.



    Robinson’s deep speed allows him to line up on the outside or in the slot, because his speed creates mismatches at any spot on the field. While Robinson is not a tall wideout, he makes up for it with his electric ability to produce big plays on any reception. In 2021, Robinson showed impressive toughness, taking a lot of big hits and holding onto the ball despite knowing big hits were coming. He also is a gritty receiver who is a competitive killer on the field looking to dominate defenses.

    While Robinson is a quick wide receiver, he is not as fast as say a Tyreek Hill, Jaylen Waddle or Henry Ruggs. Robinson’s speed is more along the lines of a Brandin Cooks. Robinson’s game-changing ability has some evaluators believing he could go as a top-20 pick in the 2022 NFL Draft. Some sources think Robinson might be more of a late first-round or early second-round pick.



    Player Comparison: Tyreek Hill/Brandin Cooks Robinson drew some interesting comparisons from team sources, with the names of Tyreek Hill and Cooks being compared to Robinson. They noted Robinson is not as fast as Hill (5-10, 185), but Robinson is a better route runner than Hill entering the NFL. It makes sense as Robinson and Hill are also almost identical in size with slippery quickness that makes them nearly impossible to cover. Some sources said they think Robinson will be a better version of Cooks in the NFL.






    RELATED LINKS:


    2022 NFL Mock Draft: Charlie’s | Walt’s


    2022 NFL Draft Prospect Rankings


    2022 NFL Draft Scouting Reports








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