Missouri defensive end and NFL Draft prospect Darius Robinson criticized the NFL Combine‘s bench-press structure on Friday, one day after he posted 21 reps of 225 pounds.
“This is not an accurate reflection of my bench press, the set up at the combine is unacceptable!” Robinson said in a since-deleted post on X (formerly Twitter).
“The rack and bar is uneven with the J-Hooks, and the bench moves with the carpet floor! I will be doing this again at my pro day March 22nd!”
Darius Robinson Takes Issue With NFL Combine Process
Robinson quote-tweeted NFL Network draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah, who posted notable bench-press results from the 2024 EDGE class.
Florida State’s Jared Verse led edge rushers with 31 bench-press reps.
Robinson had a problem with the Combine’s bench-press station, indicating that the rack and bar were uneven and that the bench moved during the process.
Aside from weightlifting, Robinson posted a standout performance at the Combine. Viewed as a tweener who can play defensive end or tackle, Robinson measured in at just over 6’5″ and 285 pounds.
According to Kent Lee Platte, Robinson’s 9.64 Relative Athletic Score would rank 60th among defensive tackles since 1987.
Robinson spent five years at Missouri, developing into a starter during his final two seasons with the Tigers. He broke out for 8.5 sacks and 14 tackles for loss in 2023, emerging as a top-50 draft prospect.
The 23-year-old further buoyed his draft stock with a dominant performance at the 2024 Senior Bowl. Here’s how PFN draft analyst Ian Cummings summed up Robinson’s showing at the all-star game:
“In 1-on-1s, Robinson beat first-round prospect Tyler Guyton with a swift arm-over move, using size-defying finesse and flexibility at 6’5″, 286 pounds. Then he did the same against Andrew Raym from 1-tech.
“Later, in team drills, Robinson pummeled new addition Travis Glover with a devastating long arm and blew up a run play with his explosiveness through the A-gap.”
Robinson ranks as the No. 31 overall player on PFN’s 2024 Big Board. He’s viewed as an edge defender in our rankings, coming in sixth behind Dallas Turner, Chop Robinson, Laiatu Latu, and Verse.
In PFN’s most recent seven-round mock draft, A.J. Schulte sent Robinson to the Detroit Lions, noting his potential fit with former No. 2 overall pick Aidan Hutchinson.
Cummings noted that while Robinson can afford to improve his footwork and quickness, he has a high ceiling.
“Robinson is a high-motor, high-utility DL with a natural feel for leverage alignment and incredible upside as a hybrid presence,” Cummings wrote in a December scouting report.
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“He can set heavy edges at 5-tech in run defense and obliterate gaps or cave in the pocket with his elite raw power. He has the combined burst, agility, bend, and hand-fighting promise to expand beyond that.
“Robinson’s range of outcomes is relatively large, but as an alignment-versatile rotational defender, he has a high floor right out of the gate — especially on run downs. In time, with more pass-rushing development, he can be an impact starter across all three downs.”
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