USA TODAY International Edition
New rule grants Robinette chance
INDIANAPOLIS Thanks to a 2016 rule change by the Department of Defense, Air Force Academy wide receiver Jalen Robinette won’t have to wait to make an impact as an NFL player.
Robinette is expected to be an early- to middle- round draft pick in April, shortly before graduating from the academy in Colorado Springs. Assuming he makes his team’s roster, Robinette will be able to bypass the requirement of two years of active duty. The Department of Defense waived that requirement for professional athletes last summer after Navy quarterback Keenan Reynolds was drafted by the Baltimore Ravens.
“It came at a good time, and I think it’s great for everybody, for the academies, for the players, for the coaches and just for the guys who want to chase their dreams but also go to the academy, too, with recruiting,” Robinette said Friday at the NFL scouting combine.
Robinette will be expected to fulfill his military obligations in a reservist role, but the specifics of his assignment won’t be decided until later.
Knowing he can go straight to the NFL has allowed Robinette to spend the winter focused on finishing up classes at Air Force — he is enrolled in six courses — and training for the combine.
After playing in a triple- option offense for the Falcons, Robinette knows he has a lot to prove to teams about his ability to play in a pro offense with a large route tree. He’s hoping teams will look at his size ( 6- 3, 220 pounds) and production at Air Force while playing in a limited passing game and see his pro potential.
Robinette caught 120 passes in four seasons, just 35 catches in 12 games last year. But in 2016 he averaged 27.4 yards per catch and scored six touchdowns.
He has watched tape of Denver Broncos receiver Demaryius Thomas and former Detroit Lions receiver Calvin Johnson, both of whom played in a tripleoption offense at Georgia Tech, to try to learn how to make the transition from that scheme to the NFL.
“I’m not huge into numbers,” Robinette said, “but you look at the numbers, that alone says that if I’m able to produce this much in a triple- option offense, then integrating me to a pro style, I think my chances are pretty good.”