Nate Robinson (American football)

Nathaniel Robinson (born January 18, 1985) is a former American football defensive tackle. He was signed by the New York Giants as an undrafted free agent in 2008. Once a heralded high school athlete, Robinson was an underachiever during his college football career at Rutgers and Akron.[1]

Nate Robinson
Personal information
Born: (1985-01-18) January 18, 1985
Irvington, New Jersey
Height:6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)
Weight:320 lb (145 kg)
Career information
High school:Irvington (NJ)
College:Akron
Position:Defensive tackle
Undrafted:2008
Career history
 * Offseason and/or practice squad member only
Career NFL statistics
Player stats at NFL.com

High school career

A native of Irvington, New Jersey, Robinson attended Irvington High School, a school that struggled with gang-related violence.[2] As a junior in 2001, he recorded 82 tackles, including 17 tackles for loss, as well as 14 quarterback sacks, nine pass deflections and six caused fumbles. He missed most of his senior season due to a knee injury, but was still rated one of the best defensive lineman in the nation. In fact, Rivals.com gave Robinson their only five-star rating among defensive tackles, and ranked him No. 1 in a class that also included Sedrick Ellis, Marcus Thomas, and Fili Moala.[3]

After official visits to Rutgers, Syracuse, and Miami (FL), Robinson committed to the Hurricanes, together with the only other five-star recruit from New Jersey, Greg Olsen of Wayne Hills.[4] Unlike Olsen, however, Robinson was unable to meet the school's academic qualification standards.[5] Although Robinson's SAT score of 800 met the NCAA minimum for high school students with a 3.0 grade point average, it was 20 points shy of Miami's institutional standard.[6][7] With the perspective of being declared ineligible, Robinson decided to not enroll at Miami, and instead went to Rutgers.[8][9] He was the only four- or five-star recruit in Rutgers' class.[10][11]

College career

The injury from his high school senior year also caused Robinson to miss the first half of his true freshman year at Rutgers. He only saw action in the final six games of the season, and recorded a total of three tackles and a single quarterback sack—coincidentally against the Miami Hurricanes. In his sophomore year, Robinson played in eight of 11 games, including the final six contests, finishing the season with 15 tackles, including five solo stops. In April 2005, he was dismissed for violation of team policy, and eventually transferred to Akron.[12]

After sitting out the 2005 season while fulfilling NCAA transfer requirements, Robinson played 11 of 12 games for the Akron Zips in 2006. He had 23 tackles, including six for losses with a sack. In his senior year, he was moved in and out of the lineup, registering 26 tackles, including five for a loss, for the season.

Professional career

2008 NFL Draft

After a disappointing college career, Robinson was projected to go undrafted in the 2008 NFL Draft.[13] After doing so, he was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Giants.[14][15]

New York Sentinels

Robinson was signed by the New York Sentinels of the United Football League on September 9, 2009.[16] He was released before the season began.

Toronto Argonauts

On April 4, 2011, Robinson signed with the Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League.[17] He was released by the Argonauts on June 15, 2011.

Personal

On December 26, 2013, Robinson was arrested on gun and drug charges in Newark, New Jersey.[18]

References
  1. Mike Farrell and Mark Pszonak Rivals.com (February 29, 2016). "Rivals.com - Judge Farrell: DT 2002 - 2004". N.rivals.com. Retrieved August 31, 2022.
  2. Cave, Damien (August 27, 2004). "Crips, Bloods and a Town in the Crossfire; Newark's Smaller Neighbor Is New Jersey's Crime Capital". New York Times.
  3. https://sports.yahoo.com/ncaa/football/recruiting/rankings/rank-180
  4. Rivals.com New Jersey Top 25
  5. "Hurricanes Lose Top Defensive Recruit". Orlando Sentinel. August 1, 2003.
  6. "Lineman will go to Rutgers, not Miami". Philadelphia Inquirer. August 1, 2003.
  7. "Shoulder Surgery Sidelines Square". Sun-Sentinel. August 1, 2003.
  8. "Class of 2003 lineman headed to Rutgers". ESPN. July 31, 2003.
  9. "Prep Lineman Picks Rutgers Over Miami". New York Times. August 1, 2003.
  10. "A Knight's tale: Once Miami bound, No. 1 prospect content to be at Rutgers". Sports Illustrated. August 22, 2003.
  11. "Rutgers finds the stars don't always align in football recruiting". Star-Ledger. December 4, 2013.
  12. "Article: Rutgers dismisses Nate Robinson".
  13. "SI Grade". CNN.
  14. "Irvington grad Nate Robinson headed to Giants". Star-Ledger. April 28, 2008.
  15. "Giants ink former Rutgers product". New York Daily News. May 12, 2008.
  16. "United Football League's New York Sentinels Add 16 to Roster". UFL-football.com. September 9, 2009. Archived from the original on December 10, 2009.
  17. "Toronto Argonauts". Archived from the original on May 16, 2012. Retrieved April 7, 2011.
  18. "Former Giants, Rutgers player Nate Robinson arrested on gun, weapons charges". Star-Ledger. December 27, 2013.
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