Tulane Green Wave Football Coach Promotes New NFL Star's Feel for Game

Tulane's football coach gives high praise to his former defensive back.

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It’s no guarantee that college football players who are selected in the NFL draft will make the team.

The path to the final 53-man roster is undoubtedly harder for a seventh-round pick.

An uphill battle is nothing new for former Tulane Green Wave star cornerback Micah Robinson, who was selected by the Green Bay Packers in the seventh round at No. 237 overall. 

It mirrors Robinson's journey to the FBS level, as he made a major jump in his final season of eligibility to join the Green Wave.

As he assimilates at the NFL level after completing rookie minicamp, his Tulane football position coach, former NFL defensive back J.J. McCleskey, sees Robinson poised for the challenge.

Micah Robinson’s Skills Shine in Critical Moments

McCleskey spoke about the pleasure it was to coach Robinson for one season with Packers On SI, promoting his feel for the game in crucial moments.

His two collegiate interceptions came in a two-week span. Robinson clinched the team’s win over the Rice Owls with an interception on the two-yard line and ran back his first pick six 12 days later.

“I tell you what, it was a pleasure to coach Micah for the one year,” McCleskey said. “Micah’s a player that I would say has a great feel for the game. He made some big plays for us that you just got to have a feel, you got to know that the ball is coming.”

In McCleskey’s eyes, Robinson has what it takes to succeed at the next level, using his experience in the NFL to help coach up his defensive back.

“He has a great feel for the game, a great character, and does a great job of tackling,” McCleskey continued. “I think he was just molded to being a pro, and I’m sure that he is embracing the moment. I was fortunate to play eight years in the National Football League. We always talked about the moment that he’s going to get. If he takes advantage of it like he should, then great things are going to happen. This kid really does a great job of just making plays.”

High-level preparation is a cornerstone of Tulane football, and the defensive back room notably had a bunch of veterans who were film study junkies.

“When your preparation is at a high level, you’re going to make plays. And I think that’s what Green Bay’s getting is a guy that does a really good job of film study and a really good job of working on his technique, a good job of just being a good person and a good teammate.” 

McCleskey’s background playing in the NFL is valuable when it comes to adapting to the rules of the professional game.

Defensive back rookies are highly susceptible to getting a bit grabby with their hands and receiving many early penalties in their careers.

Robinson was only penalized once last season and should have confidence in his 4.42 40-yard dash speed that will keep up with most high pedigree receivers with good technique.

“That’s one thing that when our corners get drafted, we talk about, No. 1, at the 5 yards, you can’t touch them,” McCleskey said. “I think that’s probably the biggest thing that he’s going to have to deal with is the speed of the game. He’s played against fast receivers; he’s played against guys that can just go out and fly. But just seeing it more often on an everyday basis, he needs to get his eyes trained to it. Once his eyes are trained to it, he should be all right.”

McCleskey also hammered in the importance of special teams’ skills in making a roster, something he expects Robinson to shine in.

“We talked about, ‘OK, how do you make a football team?’” McCleskey said. “He’s tough enough to play gunner, he’s tough enough to play hold-up, and he’s tough enough to play run-down on kickoffs and just not be a safety. Go in there and make plays. And I think he understands that, and as long as he understands that, he’ll be able to play his part.”

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