The New York Giants upgraded their pass-rushing corps in a major way this offseason, trading for star EDGE Brian Burns from the Carolina Panthers. However, the Giants may not be done adding talent to the unit. They could turn toward the NFL Draft to another talented pass-rusher into the mix.
The Giants are meeting with Penn State EDGE Chop Robinson
According to NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport, the Giants are hosting Penn State EDGE Chop Robinson on a top-30 visit on Thursday. Robinson is considered a potential late first-round or early second-round pick in this year’s draft. He also has a visit planned with the New York Jets and has already met with the Philadelphia Eagles, Baltimore Ravens, and New Orleans Saints.
According to Art Stapleton, Penn State typically qualifies as a local school for the Giants, so Robinson’s meeting could be part of the team’s local pro day. Other highly-ranked prospects, such as Rutgers CB Max Melton, will be participating in the pro day event.
Robinson is an elite athlete
Robinson is one of the 2024 NFL Draft class’s most impressive athletes. He scored a 9.71 relative athletic score (RAS) after posting a 4.48s 40-yard dash, a 10-foot-8-inch broad jump, a 4.25s shuttle time, and a 34.5-inch vertical jump.
He comes in slightly undersized at 6-foot-2, 257 pounds, but Robinson’s elite athleticism makes him one of the draft class’s top pure pass-rushers. NFL.com insider Lance Zierlein gave high praise to Robinson, saying he has the “type of elite athleticism we’ve seen from players like Micah Parsons and Myles Garrett.”
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What could Robinson bring to the Giants?
In 2023, Robinson totaled 7.5 tackles for loss and four sacks for Penn State’s defense. While he didn’t have the most productive collegiate career from a statistical standpoint, Robinson has elite athletic traits that could develop him into a star pass rusher at the next level.
Trevor Sikkema of Pro Football Focus ranks Robinson as the No. 5 edge rusher in this draft class:
“Regardless of his lack of polish, Robinson is a gifted player athletically — likely on a level that is top of the class. A lot of what leaves you wanting more from Robinson is coachable. Unlocking that is the key for him to go from a boom-or-bust athlete to a dominant edge defender.”
Robinson posted elite metrics in 2023 according to PFF. He had a 20.9% pass-rush win rate and a 92.3 pass-rush grade, both ranking among the top pass-rushers in this year’s draft class.
Edge rusher isn’t necessarily a top priority for the Giants in this year’s draft, having traded for Burns and combining him with rising star Kayvon Thibodeaux. Behind those two is Azeez Ojulari, who has struggled to stay healthy, but is a solid third option when on the field. Adding depth behind this trio will be a priority, but taking Robinson as early as the first or second round of the draft might be too soon to add a pass-rusher considering the other needs the Giants’ roster has.