Ellis Robinson IV

The Player

Robinson went through a baptism of fire as a first-year starter in 2025. His tape is uneven, but he’s an ascending player with the talent to make a notable leap as a redshirt sophomore in 2026.

There’s a lot to like about his upside as a press corner. He’s long enough to reroute receivers, has fluid hips for his size, and runs well enough on tape. He reads the receiver’s hands and plays through them from a trail position. In off and zone coverage, he closes well and flashes good stopping power. His reaction time and positioning improved as the 2025 season progressed.

Robinson is a playmaker with room to grow. He tied for first among SEC defenders in interceptions, with four, and finished with seven passes defended. A former two-way player in high school, he catches the ball like a receiver and should get his hands on more passes as his confidence grows. He also has a short memory and the mental toughness to bounce back quickly.

He sticks his face in the fan as a tackler while chasing the run with good effort, but his hand fighting, footwork, and timing when locating the ball in press are still works in progress. He can get beaten at the line of scrimmage and drift out of position, and on tape it looks like he may lack elite top-end and recovery speed.

Robinson started 12 of 14 games in 2025 and earned Football Writers Association of America and The Athletic’s Freshman All-America first-team honors. He could get stronger and thicker, but he has the frame, length, and natural playmaking ability to develop into a high-level outside corner.