Colts 2022 Draft Interviews: Wan'Dale Robinson, WR, Kentucky
Wan'Dale Robinson is a former four star recruit out of Western Hills High School in Frankfort, Kentucky. While he was heavily recruited by almost every school in the nation, he opted to sign on with Nebraska out of high school.
I asked him about how he ended up at Nebraska:
I was hit up by a lot of schools when I was recruited and I really had the option to play wherever I wanted to. Coming out of high school, I knew that I wanted to have an impact extremely early.
I felt like Nebraska was really going to be the best place for me to contribute early and also a place to play some running back and receiver. So, that is why I ultimately chose Nebraska.
Robinson had a solid two year run with the Cornhuskers, hauling in 91 receptions and rushing the ball 134 times over that span. He opted to transfer to Kentucky prior to his third and final season at the college level.
At Kentucky, Robinson exploded in production. He caught 104 passes for 1,334 yards and seven touchdowns as a junior. I asked him how he was able to make this transfer over to Kentucky look so effortless:
I had already done all of the things before, it was just my time to be able to show it. Coach (Liam) Coen and our staff was really able to tap into everything that I could do.
They were asking me about all the things that I would be interested in doing and we went about that process each and every week to see what we could do to get me the ball.
Robinson was named Second Team All-SEC for his historic 2021 season.
Playing with Will Levis
Robinson wasn't the only transfer student to have a big impact in year one. He and quarterback Will Levis (formerly of Penn State) formed an incredible connection from day one.
I asked Robinson what it was like playing with such a talented quarterback and asked him how he and Levis were able to bond so quickly:
He has the best arm that I've ever seen. He can make all the throws. Once he got here, he was really adamant about being with the receivers and wanting to throw. He had his own quarterback coach that he was working with, so whenever they were out working, I would be the one catching the ball.
But Will, he can do everything. He can do everything that you need him to. In our first scrimmage of fall camp, his first pass was like an 80 yard bomb. I knew from right there that this guy was going to be our quarterback.
Versatility as a Receiver
Robinson basically did it all for Kentucky. He played in the slot. He played on the outside. He came in motion and took jet sweeps. He carried the ball out of the backfield...
There isn't anything that Robinson can't do for an offense. I asked him if this type of versatility will help him adjust to the next level:
Yeah definitely, I think that is why an NFL team is going to like me. There's a lot of different things that I can do. Even if there is a package where we have four wideouts in, I can motion into the backfield.
I'm another wideout, but I can also get in the backfield and play running back and things like that. Defenses have to be able to match-up with personnel, so I think a player like me can cause a lot of problems.
Release Game off the Line
Robinson is an outstanding player off the line of scrimmage. He possesses quick feet that allow him to cross up slow-footed defenders. While a typical player his size may struggle to beat press coverage, he was able to use his quickness to become dominant at it.
I asked him how much work went into making his release game a strength:
A lot. I have a trainer named Chris Vaughn and we used to do a lot of release drills in high school. In the drills, I would already be jammed up and I had to learn how to work off of that.
Being able to work on things like that really helped me. At the end of the day, I just don't like people putting their hands on me so I do whatever I can to maneuver (laughs).
Finding Space in Zone Coverage
When it comes to smaller receivers, they have to be able to find creases in zone coverage in order to survive. Robinson understood this and became an excellent outlet for Levis this past season.
I asked him how he was able to improve this aspect of his game over his career:
Film study was a big part of it. That was one thing that Coach Coen harped on when he got to Kentucky. I was watching a lot of Cooper Kupp in the offseason to better myself in this area.
When it came to watching teams during the season, it's really about picking up the little things. It's even things like hand signals that tell you what the coverage might be. Just watching film and trying to find the keys for what a defense may be doing was really big for me in this area.
NFL Draft Outlook
I finished off the interview with the same way I finish all of them. I asked Robinson how he would sell himself to a team this offseason. I asked him what my team would be getting, on and off the field, if they draft him:
You are going to get one guy that is going to work hard. I'm tough, and you will never see me on the field pouting or anything like that. I'm always going to do what I have to do to help our team win.
At the end of the day, football wise, I'm just going to make plays.
Robinson is one of the best receivers in this draft class and his film is absolutely incredible. He has a good case for being the best slot receiver in this draft.
While he doesn't fit Chris Ballard's typical mold at receiver, I would absolutely love to see him in Indy this upcoming season.
Follow Zach on Twitter @ZachHicks2.
