Robinson Making the Most of His Fresh Start With 49ers

Cornerback's speed, long arms and raw talent are making an impression on team after his LSU career was cut short by suspension

Rashard Robinson played just 15 games for LSU in his career, and his stats weren’t eye-popping by any means.

He had just one career interception and three passes defensed while being in on 30 tackles. He had only eight starts at LSU and never got back on the field after being suspended for breaking team rules in 2014.

But the 6-foot-1, 171-pounder showed huge amounts of talent in his brief tenure with the Tigers and impressed 49ers general manager Trent Baalke enough to take him in the fourth round of the recent draft. Together with third-round pick Will Redmond of Mississippi State and seventh-round pick Prince Charles Iworah of Western Kentucky, Robinson gives the 49ers an influx of youth and upside in what should be a competitive secondary battle in training camp.

“Robinson had just eight career starts under his belt, but that tells you what the 49ers think of his upside,” wrote analyst Mark Dulgerian of NFL.com following the draft. “Robinson is a long press corner leaking with talent. If he stayed clean off the field, he’s likely a top-40 pick. There are plenty of question marks, but he’s an early candidate for steal of the draft.”

Jerit Roser of the New Orleans Times-Picayune noted all the pros and cons of Robinson as an NFL prospect. On the minus side were his off-field issues at LSU, his thin frame and his long absence from actually playing football. On the plus side: his speed, toughness and potential.

Now that Robinson is back on the field with the 49ers in their organized team activities (OTAs) sessions, that potential appears obvious. In his first tests against receivers in head coach Chip Kelly’s fast-paced spread offense, Robinson has shown well.

“He’s doing good,” veteran safety Antoine Bethea told reporters. “(He’s) a young guy coming to the game, especially going against Chip’s offense, that’s going to be one of the main things for him, the speed of the game. As a young player, I think the most important thing to do is just go out there an work hard and get in the film room, study, and know the playbook.”

Robinson has long arms (32½ inches) and speed (4.43-second 40-yard dash) to battle NFL receivers. He told a writer for the 49ers website that he has what it takes to make the roster. When asked to assess his talents, he responded: “Fast dude. Long dude. Rangy dude. Aggressive dude. I just gotta go out there and make the most of it.”

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