Chop Robinson hasn't played an official NFL down yet, but he's garnered some elite praise for his game.
The Miami Dolphins' first-round linebacker squared off with Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive tackle Tristan Wirfs a time or two during joint practices and finished the day having earned some high praise from the three-time Pro Bowler.
"He sees something great in me, that's what he said," Robinson said, via The Palm Beach Post’s Joe Schad. "And of course, he's great. He just got paid."
Indeed, Wirfs just got paid handsomely to the tune of a five-year, $140 million extension on Aug. 1. He's one of the preeminent offensive tackles in the game, so some compliments from Wirfs weren't lost on Robinson, nor should they be.
It's clear Robinson, the 2024 NFL Draft's 21st overall pick, came away with a great appreciation for the Bucs All-Pro, as well.
"I mean, he's so quick off the ball," Robinson said. "I was reading him and I have a good get off, but as soon as I was getting off the ball, he was meeting me at the spot. So, I had to use different things such as freezes and different ways to use my hands. So, he's a quick player, a strong player. When he gets his hands on you, it's hard to get him off. So, he's a hell of a player."
So too is Robinson, it would seem -- or at least he's on that trajectory.
With Shaq Barrett having retired and Jaelan Phillips and Bradley Chubb on the comeback trail from 2023-ending injuries, Robinson making some noise in the pass rush could be paramount for the Dolphins.
Upon his self-evaluation, Robinson believes he's seen marked improvement since joining the squad.
"I feel like I've progressed a lot, especially from coming from college to here and then from first day of camp to here," Robinson said. "Just really with my hands, keeping my hands inside the offensive line with the tight end. I've been able to work on that every single day and it's just become second nature. So now I've been able to get under the tight end order, the alignment pads, and I've been able to create knockbacks."
The Dolphins are justifiably known for their high-scoring, high-speed offense, but their first-round defender is drawing notice already. Just ask the elite OT he went head-up with this week.
