The disconnect on Robinson pick: Modest sack numbers, high ceiling

Pass rusher had 61 QB hurries in 497 snaps

Notes, takeaways and perspective on Dolphins first-round pick Chop Robinson, coinciding with the Dolphins’ rookie minicamp this weekend:

There seems to be a disconnect between those who question why Miami would draft an edge rusher who had just 11.5 sacks in 35 college games, and those who see the high ceiling and how he makes an impact in other ways.

Here’s a big reason why Miami drafted him 21st overall: The Dolphins’ front office values quarterback pressures and quarterback disruption every bit as much — if not more so — than sacks.

And in that area, Robinson is very good.

Though Robinson’s sack production was modest, keep in mind that he had 61 quarterback hurries in 497 career pass-rushing snaps. That’s one hurry for every 8.1 pass rushing attempts.

Alabama’s Dallas Turner, selected 17th by Minnesota (four spots before Robinson), had 25 sacks in three seasons but had 67 hurries in 806 pass rushing snaps. That’s one hurry per every 12.0 pass-rushing attempts.

UCLA’s Laiatu Latu, the first edge rusher who was drafted (15th to the Colts), had 81 pressures in 623 snaps, equaling one every 7.7. He had 24 college sacks.

So Robinson pressured the quarterback more often, per pass-rush snap, than the player (Turner) who was widely considered the best edge player in the draft. And his pressures per snap weren’t much lower than Latu’s.

Also, Robinson’s 18 percent pressure rate last season ranked sixth in college football. That led the Big Ten.

And consider this: Per Pro Football Focus, Robinson was tied for No. 3 nationally in pass rush win rate over the past two seasons at 20.9% — behind only Latu (23.1%) and Florida State’s Jared Verse (22.1%), who both went ahead of Robinson in the draft.

Robinson said his pressures made an impact, even if standard statistics don’t necessarily reflect that.

“I feel a lot of times I got back there, I didn’t get to the quarterback but it affected the quarterback whether it was an interception, PBU [pass breakup] or my defensive end getting a sack,” Robinson said Friday before the first practice of the

AL DIAZ adiaz@miamiherald.com Dolphins rookie linebacker Chop Robinson speaks before practice at the Baptist Health Training Complex in Miami Gardens on Friday. ‘In terms of sudden, twitchy explosiveness on the edge, he may be the best guy in this draft,’ said NFL Films’ Greg Cosell.