Dylan Robinson Is Huskies' Double Rarity In Secondary

The cornerback became a freshman starter and he's taller than most at his position.

Dylan Robinson started five games as a UW freshman. | Dave Sizer photo

As Dylan Robinson met with the media this week, he towered over the 10 or so people pointing TV cameras or iPhones at him and asking all sorts of questions.

For the University of Washington football team, the 6-foot-3, 210-pound cornerback is that double rarity -- as the extra-tall defensive back who became a freshman starter, with the size and the immediacy of it all projecting him for greatness.

By opening five games in 2025, Robinson became the Huskies' fourth first-year player over the past two decades to start right away at corner, joining Desmond Trufant (2009, 9 games), Sidney Jones (2014, 12 games) and Trent McDuffie (2019, 10 games) as others who couldn't wait to take on a huge responsibility.

Heady company, indeed, and reason enough why the UW self advertises itself as "DBU," a designation that holds marketing value.

"It was a big reason I came here," said Robinson, who hails from La Verne, California.

Dylan Robinson (6) and Manny Karnley (8) are the UW's projected starting corners. | Dave Sizer photo

While Robinson got started as a freshman, he really hasn't had the big launch yet to his career that's envisioned.

His first career start came against the No. 1-ranked Ohio State, a wide-eyed moment for sure. Near the end of his first year, Oregon specifically went after him as this young guy carrying a heavy load and made him pay a few times.

Welcome to the Big Ten, kid.

"When you look at him last year, even though he was a great athlete and he played, starting six {sic} games or something like that, he was just an athlete running around," secondary coach John Richardson said.

Richardson and the other coaches say the aim is to fully unleash him and his size on everyone else and watch him as this more knowledgeable and experienced player pile up the pass break-ups and interceptions.

During spring ball, coach Jedd Fisch and defensive coordinator Ryan Walters each boldly referred to Robinson as an NFL first-round draft pick walking around and waiting to happen, something his fellow Huskies were well aware of.

"I think my teammates kind of held me to a higher standard," Robinson said. "If I do something, if I had a fast time running, it was, 'Well, you're supposed to do that. You're supposed to be that guy.' "

Dylan Robinson made his first UW start against Ohio State. | Dave Sizer photo

After dealing with some minor fall camp health issue that has limited his involvement to this moment, he's ready to return to every day duty following Saturday night's mock game and be ready for the start of the season.

Recruited by a lot of schools as a wide receiver, he's out to show everyone he made the right choice by becoming a college corner, and then use that momentum to be the NFL player that he's projected to be.

This guy wants to be different in how he looks and how he plays. While he's at 6-foot-3, his fellow UW corners who played as freshmen in Jones and Trufant were each 6 feet tall, while McDuffie measured 5-foot-11.

"There's a lot of receivers playing at my size," Robinson said. "There's not a lot of defensive backs my size. It's unique and a challenge for me to become a corner and move the way I do. I think that's why I did it."