IMANI CHRISTIAN GRAD EYES LIFELONG DREAM
Kenny Robinson has had some dark days.
Last March, his mom was diagnosed with colon cancer, this after previously suffering two strokes.
A few months later, Robinson, then a standout at West Virginia, was dismissed from school due to a code of conduct violation that included academic fraud.
Robinson, though, emerged from the darkness with a sharpened focus, and showcased in the coronavirus-shortened XFL season the same talent that helped him develop into an all-Big 12 safety in just two seasons.
Now, Robinson stands tall and believes that one of his brightest days might not be far away.
Robinson, a Wilkinsburg native and former star at Imani Christian, is preparing for the NFL draft, scheduled to be held April 23-25.
“It would mean the world to me,” Robinson said about getting drafted. “It would be completing one of my lifelong dreams and I’d be able to do what I love for a living.”
Robinson, 21, is back in Pittsburgh training with some other former WPIAL stars, among them Pitt’s Damar Hamlin and Paris Ford, Penn State’s Lamont Wade and Michigan’s Khaleke Hudson. Like Robinson, Hudson is also expected to be taken in next month’s draft.
There’s a lot to like about Robinson (6 feet 2, 200 pounds), and it shows in his productivity. He had seven interceptions in 25 games (20 starts) at West Virginia and another two in five games with the XFL’s St. Louis BattleHawks. That’s nine picks in 30 games as a college player and professional.
Mike Renner, lead draft analyst for Pro Football Focus, calls Robinson the “best ball-hawk in the draft class,” adding that if it were him drafting, he would select Robinson in the third round. Other draft projections show Robinson being drafted anywhere from the third to sixth round.
LaRoi Johnson would likely take Robinson in the first round, if not No. 1 overall. Then again, Johnson might be a little biased. He has known Robinson since his youth days and was an assistant coach at Imani Christian when Robinson played there. Robinson was a PostGazette Fabulous 22 selection as a senior in 2016.
“Kenny’s an NFL guy for sure. He belongs in the NFL,” said Johnson, now the head coach at Sto-Rox. “I’ve always known he had the ability. In my opinion, he’s one of the top safeties in this year’s class. He’s like a [Chiefs defensive back] Tyrann Mathieu in his ability to play multiple positions and cover and play linebacker. He’s a guy I think they’ll use all over the field.”
Robinson had a lot of ups and one big down at West Virginia. For two seasons, everything was going as planned as he headed toward his dream of playing in the NFL. As a freshman, he started eight games, tied for the team lead with three interceptions, and was named honorable mention all-Big 12. He was even better as a sophomore, tying for second in the Big 12 with four interceptions, in addition to registering 77 tackles, which ranked second on the team.
“Everything was good,” Robinson recalled. “I was going in there and getting better every day and making plays. Everything was on pace.”
Then came a gigantic roadblock, one which Robinson attributed to laziness on his part. He asked another student to help him with some of his classes, which were all online. Eventually, he asked the student to do the classes for him. During the spring of 2019, one of the assignments turned in was flagged by student conduct. It ultimately led to Robinson being expelled.
“I was very upset,” he said. “I felt like that was a slap in the face because I didn’t get into any trouble before that, on or off the field. I was heartbroken.”
What now? For Robinson, that was the million-dollar question. He initially entered the transfer portal, and some of college football’s heavyweight programs coveted him. But there was a problem. NCAA rules state that a transfer must be in good academic standing in order to immediately receive a scholarship at their new school. Robinson was not, so if he were to transfer to another Division I school, he would have to enroll as a walk-on and sit out a season. Another option was transferring to a Division II school.
None of those options appealed to Robinson, but another did. The newly formed XFL would be kicking off its season in February. Robinson could train in hopes of being drafted in that league, which eventually could lead to being drafted in the NFL.
Another perk of playing in the XFL was money. Considering his mom’s health struggles, helping out his parents financially as soon as he could was a big deal. XFL players had an average salary of $55,000.
“I felt that if I had the opportunity, it was my obligation and responsibility to make sure my family was OK,” Robinson said.
Robinson was selected 39th overall by St. Louis in the XFL draft, and became the first player with college eligibility remaining to play in the XFL. He went on to start all five games at free safety, collecting 21 tackles to go along with his two interceptions. The league announced last Friday that it would be canceling the rest of its season because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
It might have been only five games, but after his college career ended prematurely, Robinson was just happy to be playing football again.
“It felt amazing to be back on the field and doing what I love. The game was so fun,” he said. “It was a time where I got to mature and grow as an athlete on and off the field. I made relationships with a lot of new people, coaches and players. It was an amazing experience.”
Robinson hopes to have another one of those next month when he could realize his lifelong dream.