Eagles' Ty Robinson Deserves More Time: Why It's Too Early to Give Up on the Second-Year Defensive Tackle

PHILADELPHIA - The idea that NFL teams draft either good players or bad players is a frustrating one for the league’s decision-makers.

Selecting a player is just the first step of the developmental process and the inability to see the behind-the-scenes grooming of young players is something that is unfortunate in a culture that demands immediate gratification.

That’s how a player like Ty Robinson can go from overhyped to almost forgotten in the span of 12 months.

The Eagles’ second-year defensive tackle arrived as a fourth-round pick out of Nebraska in 2025 (No. 111 overall) and was immediately a fan favorite due to his nickname with the Cornhuskers (The Vanilla Gorilla), along with his ready-made WWE body.

At 6-foot-5 and 288 pounds it also didn’t hurt that Nebraska used Robinson successfully as a fullback in short-yardage situations.

A quiet rookie season in which Robinson played in 11 games and 104 defensive snaps (9% of the team’s total and over half of them coming in the meaningless Week 18 regular-season finale), resulted in five tackles, a quarterback hit, and a batted ball (something Robinson has a knack for) by the Arizona native.

A Slow Burn

Eagles rookie defensive lineman Ty Robinson speaks with reporters after practice on July 29, 2025. | John McMullen/Eagles On SI

The fact that Robinson is again stuck behind one of the best interior line situations in football featuring Jalen Carter, Jordan Davis, Moro Ojomo and Byron Young, has painted Robinson as a lost cause by many.

That’s really the result of a microwave society, however, because Robinson still possesses the promising traits he showed in college and his developmental path is no different than the one many successful Eagles defensive linemen have paved.

Robinson, who turned 25 in May, arrived in Philadelphia after a six-year college career at Nebraska and an intriguing combine performance that foreshadowed a difference-making explosion with strong numbers in the 40-yard dash, vertical jump, and broad jump.

Typically one of the strongest players on the field in Lincoln, Robinson struggled to disengage from blocks in training camp with a limited pass-rush approach.

Those issues are common for young interior defensive linemen transitioning to the NFL, where the speed, strength, and complexity of blocks demand a sound plan that is built on the foundation of strong technique and fundamentals.

That’s where well-regarded D-Line coach Clint Hurtt factors in.

If things are progressing correctly behind the scenes don’t be surprised if Robinson emerges from the cocoon as a valuable rotational option sometime over the next 12 to 18 months.

"He’s gotten better," Hurtt said this spring when discussing Robinson. "He’s in excellent shape. He’s stronger. He’s moving better. ... D-line is such a fundamental position. Really, playing on the trenches on both sides of the ball. I would say he showed promise last year. You’re strong coming in, but it’s different when you’re playing against grown men every single day. But now, understanding the scheme, the system, he’s stronger and he’s just better. He’s taken some nice strides."

If the Eagles use Young as player-for-player trade bait this summer, that timetable could be moved up. If Robinson isn’t ready to step in by next spring when it will be difficult to keep Ojomo from leaving via free agency, then you know things have gone awry.

Until then, ignoring the steep competition for rotational snaps at DT in Philadelphia and presuming Robinson is underwater is unfair.

Add us as a preferred source on Google