When the 49ers selected LSU cornerback Rashard Robinson in the fourth round of this year’s draft, it was seen as a low-risk but high-reward pick.
Robinson was considered an extremely talented corner with good size (6-foot-1), long arms and an aggressive, physical style.
But at LSU, Robinson had several off-the-field issues, struggled academically and played just 20 college games. He never was activated for the 2015 season, so he began this summer’s training camp with the 49ers having not played a game since 2014.
But many believe Robinson – one of three corners drafted by the Niners, along with third-rounder Will Redmond of Mississippi State and seventh-rounder Prince Charles Iworah of Western Kentucky – has the ability to be a stellar pro.
“Robinson had just eight career starts under his belt, but that tells you what the 49ers think about his upside,” wrote NFL.com analyst Mark Dulgerian. “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.”
Now, Robinson is backing up that assessment with his play in the early days of training camp.
On Thursday, Robinson had another good day, breaking up a number of passes and making an interception. He’s been singled out as one of the more impressive young players in camp so far. He's been contesting every throw his way and hasn't been shy about being vocal.
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“The confidence is going to continue to grow,” Robinson told the media. “(I) just have to stay hungry and humble.”
Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee reported that in drills, Robinson often has been wearing small boxing gloves, a mandate of coaches who want him to get away from using his hands too much on receivers. That has made him focus on his footwork and being in the right position.
“Once you get a quick punch in with the boxing gloves, then you’ve got to get the feet moving,” Robinson said. “If not, the receivers – we have great receivers – will run right past you.”
With Tramaine Brock and Jimmie Ward penciled in as starting corners, Robinson is in the thick of competition with a large, young group of corners to earn playing time. But so far, he’s been impressive.
“He’s feisty,” safety Eric Reid told Barrows. “He has that mentality. He might be too handsy, a little bit at times. At times he has to reel that in a little bit. But he has the attitude you want.”
