How Does a Rookie 7th-Round Pick Ask for a Few Days Off, and How Did the Bengals Respond?

One of the last things a rookie wants to do in his first NFL offseason is ask for a favor, especially when it involves missing work, even when it’s the voluntary phase.

But Cincinnati Bengals seventh-round defensive tackle Landon Robinson’s weekend plans were too important to him not to ask his coaches for a couple of days off.

And the Bengals not only granted permission, they endorsed his absence.

Robinson graduated from the Naval Academy on Saturday, earning the title of second lieutenant.

“I just went to them and I was like, ‘Hey, I gotta graduate,’” Robinson recounted.

There wasn’t a blip of indecision.

“They’ve been very generous with it,” Robinson added. “It was super cool. It's just a blessing that they were able to let me do that.”

Congratulations, @LandonRobinson! @NavalAcademy graduate. 🫡 pic.twitter.com/LuG2nEEyyy
— Cincinnati Bengals (@Bengals) May 22, 2026

Robinson is the first defensive lineman from Navy to be drafted since 1993, when the Packers selected Robert Kuberski.

And he’s the first defensive tackle to hear his name called in the draft in more than 50 years, since the Steelers took Glen Nardi in the 16th round in 1973.

“The Naval Academy is special, but it's a place where you're not guaranteed to go to the NFL and you're not supposed to make that happen,” Robinson said. “Being able to do that and work to get better every single day, that's what the Naval Academy helped me do. It truly builds you as a man, it builds you as a person and obviously the academics are very challenging.”

Robinson’s father, Lance, placed at the state gymnastics meet while attending Franklin High School, north of Dayton. And his mother, Patrice, was an elite volleyball player in high school.

So the athleticism came naturally.

But his size (5-foot-11, 293 pounds) had to be cultivated.

Robinson said he fell in love with weightlifting around his sophomore year of high school, and about a year later, he trained his eyes on military service.

“I don’t like being like everybody else,” he said. “I like being different and so something that’s special. The Naval Academy is truly special.”

Robinson’s path to playing time would have been a lot easier had the Bengals not signed Jonathan Allen and traded for Dexter Lawrence to bolster the interior of the defensive line.

But people who go to the Naval Academy aren’t looking for an easy road. And Robinson has been reveling in working alongside Lawrence, Allen and the rest of the veterans on the defensive line.

“It’s been awesome to learn from them. It’s really cool,” he said.

While they can teach him technique and other profession tips, there isn’t much Lawrence and Allen can add to Robinson’s worth ethic.

Robinson was one of the last players to leave the field after practice Tuesday, insisting on getting in extra reps on the blocking sled.

“You gotta put in the extra work,” he said. “I missed a few days last week, and you just gotta continue to get better every day. So that little extra time either before practice or after practice that you spend hitting the sled, hitting the sled, it just builds that muscle memory. That'll pay off in the long run.”

His college degree will pay off in the long run, too. But first, he must pay back.

As one of just six Navy players to be draft since 2000, Robinson was able to defer his service obligations.

“When I’m done with football, I’ll still be in the reserves,” he said. “So I’ll probably go back to active duty if I want to. But we’ll play that by ear when the time comes.

“In the offseason, I’ll do either a social media event or some type of recruiting or some type of drill work as a reserve.”

Each year the Bengals organize a group photo for all of the players who earned their college degree. The players all don their t-shirt with the school’s name and colors on it.

Robinson, who wasn’t aware of the tradition, instantly started thinking about upping the dress code after being informed of it.

“That would be sweet,” he said. “I'll wear my uniform for that. I'll be out there in the blues."

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