Denard Robinson

Robinson received dozens of scholarship offers out of Florida with most schools recruiting him as a receiver or cornerback, but then-head coach Rich Rodriguez targeted Robinson to possibly quarterback his new-look offense at Michigan. He was Tate Forcier's backup in 2009 as a freshman, but earned the starting nod as a sophomore and earned Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year honors, breaking the school record for total offense (4,272 yards). With Rodriguez out and Brady Hoke in as head coach, Robinson went through a transition to new offensive coordinator Al Borges' offense but still produced big numbers with 36 total touchdowns (20 passing, 16 rushing) and 3,349 yards of total offense in 2011. One of the preseason Heisman favorites in 2012, Robinson ended up as an honorable mention All-Big Ten selection as a senior. He passed for only 1,319 yards and nine touchdowns with eight interceptions. He didn't attempt a pass after suffering an elbow injury against Nebraska Oct. 27, missing two games and returning to a hybrid role. Robinson added 1,166 rushing yards and seven touchdowns on the ground on 154 carries. One of the most athletic quarterbacks in NCAA history, Robinson is being viewed as more of an athlete for the next level by pro scouts. He is an electric athlete with good arm strength and the propensity to make plays out of the backfield, but his inconsistency as a passer is maddening to evaluate and probably will lead to him being projected as a running back or wideout in the NFL. While he looked natural with the ball in his hands at Senior Bowl practices, he didn't display ideal ball skills, giving scouts the idea that it will take some time as he adjusts to a different position on offense. Although he doesn't have ideal running back size, Robinson appears best suited as an all-around weapon in the backfield and elsewhere, not necessarily limited to receiver.

strengths

Track-like speed with balanced explosion and change of direction ability to create with the ball in his hands. Versatile athlete who can big a big-play threat lining up at a number of positions. Suffered nerve damage in his elbow that prematurely ended his quarterback career at Michigan.

compares to

Antwan Randel-El, ex-Pittsburgh Steelers -- With hot/cold accuracy and a frame under 6-feet, scouts are viewing Robinson as a Randel-El-type of prospect and more of a mid-round athlete rather than a quarterback.

weaknesses

Extremely streaky as a passer with too many inconsistent decisions, low-percentage pass attempts and messy mechanics. Shows less than ideal attention to detail as a route-runner. Struggles with drops, and allows far too many passes to get into his pads. Fights the ball as a receiver and lacks sharpness in his routes, two areas that need improving before he is ready for the NFL. He also needed help on where to line up pre-snap on several occasions, indicating just how raw he is at the position. Struggled to field punts during Senior Bowl practices.

2012: Missed two games with an elbow injury, and was used in a variety of roles upon returning.

Attended Deerfield Beach High School (2009) coached by Art Taylor

ran 40-yard dash in 4.32 seconds

registered a 315-pound max on bench press and a 400-pound squat max

helped lead team to state semifinals as a junior and third round as a senior

three-year varsity starter at quarterback

Key Statistics

completed 262-of-576 attempts for 4,784 yards and 44 touchdowns as a three-year starter at quarterback

carried 217 times for 1,132 yards and 13 touchdowns in his career

completed 100-of-231 passes for 1,872 yards and 18 touchdowns as a senior. Rushed 93 times for 538 yards and eight TDs senior year

threw for 1,961 yards and rushed for 428 yards as a junior

contributed 19 total touchdowns junior year

Honors and Rankings

Prep Star All-American and named to the publication's Top 250

four-star prospect by Rivals.com and scout.com

listed as the No. 188 overall player in the country and the No. 14 athlete according to Rivals.com

rated as the No. 35 overall prospect in the state of Florida by Rivals.com

ranked as the eight-best athlete in the country and the 102nd overall prospect by Scouts, Inc.

listed as the No. 8 athlete in the country by ESPN.com

rated as the ninth-best prospect in the state of Florida according to SuperPrep

listed as the nation's 16th-best cornerback prospect and the 159th overall player nationally according to scout.com Listed No. 4 on the Broward County Top 25 rankings by the Orlando Sun Sentinel

named first-team All-Broward County by The Miami Herald as a junior and senior

selected to Mobile Press Register's Super Southeast 120

played in the Miami-Dade vs. Broward All-Star game

earned third-team all-state accolades as a junior

Other Sports

ran track

finished third in the 100-meter dash at the 2008 Florida 4A Track & Field State Championships

member of the 2008 FHSAA state champion 4x100-meter relay team.

Denard Xavier Robinson was born September 22, 1990

enrolled in the School of Kinesiology, major undeclared.