Penn State defensive end Chop Robinson declares for the NFL draft
Robinson was named a unanimous first-team All-Big Ten selection after a 2023 season that earned him national recognition despite missing two games with an injury.
STATE COLLEGE, Pa. — Penn State defensive end Chop Robinson posed for pictures with teammates before walking off the Ford Field turf after the Nittany Lions’ win over Michigan State on Nov. 24. Though it wasn’t official at the time, the game marked Robinson’s last with the Nittany Lions.
Robinson, a projected first-round NFL draft pick, announced his decision to forgo his senior season and turn professional on Tuesday.
A staple of Penn State’s dominant defenses under defensive coordinator Manny Diaz, Robinson tallied a combined 9½ sacks and 17½ tackles for losses in 22 games over the last two seasons.
A 6-foot-3, 254-pound junior, Robinson was named a unanimous first-team All-Big Ten selection after a 2023 season that earned him national recognition despite missing two games with an injury.
It didn’t take long for Robinson to acclimate himself with the Nittany Lions after transferring from Maryland before the 2022 season. In his first year in Happy Valley, Robinson earned All-Big Ten honors before he was named a preseason All-American this past offseason.
After primarily rotating off the bench last season, Robinson became a full-time starter in 2023, when he helped lead one of the nation’s top defenses alongside veteran pass rusher Adisa Isaac. The Nittany Lions lead the country in total defense, sacks, and tackles for losses. They’re also second in both rushing and passing defense and third in scoring defense.
Robinson’s game film has spoken for itself, and as an athletic pass rusher, he could find further success in the NFL Scouting Combine that could boost his stock for April’s draft.