Spring Break
NFL Draft should be a day of fun for ISU fans
Issue date: 4/26/07 Section: Sports
This Saturday is every couch potato and armchair quarterback's dream, the National Football League draft.
It is arguably the best excuse all year to watch 10-plus consecutive hours of television, and other than "Spreading the Red" at ISU homecoming tailgate parties, it is the best excuse to start drinking at 11 a.m.
This year's draft should be no different than years past.
The Lions could pick a wide receiver in the first round, the Bears might spend most of their picks on defense and most importantly at least one player from ISU should be picked.
Last year, it was defensive lineman Brent Hawkins to the Jacksonville Jaguars, the year before that linebacker Boomer Grigsby to the Kansas City Chiefs.
This year it should be Laurent Robinson. He could be the first offensive player drafted from ISU in the last ten years.
The last offensive player the 'Birds graduated to make an NFL roster on the offensive side of the ball was Aveion Cason who was signed as an undrafted free agent by the St. Louis Rams in 2001.
Illinois State has another defensive hopeful in this years draft also. Linebacker Cameron Siskowic is hoping to become the third defensive player in three years selected from ISU.
So far on NFL draft boards, Robinson has made a much bigger splash having participated in the rookie combine this off-season.
At the combine, Robinson displayed his physical skills with the rest of the draft hopefuls. Robinson ran his 40-yard dash in 4.41 seconds.
The six-foot one-inch tall receiver bench-pressed 225 lbs. 19 times which is estimated to be a one-rep max of over 350 pounds. He also tallied a 39-inch vertical jump.
To put what Robinson did into perspective, Calvin Johnson, ESPN's favorite wide receiver prospect, ran a 4.4 second 40-yard dash; bench pressed 335 pounds and jumped 45 inches. Johnson is a couple inches taller and about 12 pounds heavier.
The Pantagraph also reported after the combine that Robinson did not drop a single pass during the combine, fielding balls thrown from the likes of Heisman Trophy winner Troy Smith among others quarterbacks. Robinson's best year at ISU was his junior season, which he was named as a Consensus All-American and led the nation with 133.18 yards receiving per game. Robinson was second in the country with 7.82 catches per game and set single season school records with 86 receptions for 1,465 yards.
Another one of Robinson's selling points to the NFL is his mental game, which should catch the attention of most scouts.
According to NFL.com he is a "smart, instinctive runner and also does well in the classroom … Picks up plays quickly and is alert to coverages, doing a nice job of finding the soft spot in the zone to settle in … Regarded by the staff as the team's 'most trustworthy' player…"
The only real knock on Robinson is that he is not big and strong enough, but given time and an opportunity he should be able to use the skill that NFL.com described as a "good self-starting ability" to build his body up in the weight room.
Saturday will be Robinson's next step towards playing on Sundays and another opportunity for Redbird fans to support their hometown team.
So whether or not your plans include a day keg, make sure you are awake to hear his name called. That way, you can holler at your boy when you see him on the Quad.
It is arguably the best excuse all year to watch 10-plus consecutive hours of television, and other than "Spreading the Red" at ISU homecoming tailgate parties, it is the best excuse to start drinking at 11 a.m.
This year's draft should be no different than years past.
The Lions could pick a wide receiver in the first round, the Bears might spend most of their picks on defense and most importantly at least one player from ISU should be picked.
Last year, it was defensive lineman Brent Hawkins to the Jacksonville Jaguars, the year before that linebacker Boomer Grigsby to the Kansas City Chiefs.
This year it should be Laurent Robinson. He could be the first offensive player drafted from ISU in the last ten years.
The last offensive player the 'Birds graduated to make an NFL roster on the offensive side of the ball was Aveion Cason who was signed as an undrafted free agent by the St. Louis Rams in 2001.
Illinois State has another defensive hopeful in this years draft also. Linebacker Cameron Siskowic is hoping to become the third defensive player in three years selected from ISU.
So far on NFL draft boards, Robinson has made a much bigger splash having participated in the rookie combine this off-season.
At the combine, Robinson displayed his physical skills with the rest of the draft hopefuls. Robinson ran his 40-yard dash in 4.41 seconds.
The six-foot one-inch tall receiver bench-pressed 225 lbs. 19 times which is estimated to be a one-rep max of over 350 pounds. He also tallied a 39-inch vertical jump.
To put what Robinson did into perspective, Calvin Johnson, ESPN's favorite wide receiver prospect, ran a 4.4 second 40-yard dash; bench pressed 335 pounds and jumped 45 inches. Johnson is a couple inches taller and about 12 pounds heavier.
The Pantagraph also reported after the combine that Robinson did not drop a single pass during the combine, fielding balls thrown from the likes of Heisman Trophy winner Troy Smith among others quarterbacks. Robinson's best year at ISU was his junior season, which he was named as a Consensus All-American and led the nation with 133.18 yards receiving per game. Robinson was second in the country with 7.82 catches per game and set single season school records with 86 receptions for 1,465 yards.
Another one of Robinson's selling points to the NFL is his mental game, which should catch the attention of most scouts.
According to NFL.com he is a "smart, instinctive runner and also does well in the classroom … Picks up plays quickly and is alert to coverages, doing a nice job of finding the soft spot in the zone to settle in … Regarded by the staff as the team's 'most trustworthy' player…"
The only real knock on Robinson is that he is not big and strong enough, but given time and an opportunity he should be able to use the skill that NFL.com described as a "good self-starting ability" to build his body up in the weight room.
Saturday will be Robinson's next step towards playing on Sundays and another opportunity for Redbird fans to support their hometown team.
So whether or not your plans include a day keg, make sure you are awake to hear his name called. That way, you can holler at your boy when you see him on the Quad.
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