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The Seattle Seahawks goal on defense for the 2020 season is clear: get to the quarterback. It is something the Seahawks defensive line struggled to do last season, but Seattle is hoping their offseason additions can change things. The Seahawks could be receiving help from a rare place as fifth-round pick Alton Robinson has impressed in training camp.
Typically, fifth-round picks are not guaranteed to make the final roster and rarely contribute in a meaningful way. Robinson could buck the trend by playing right away and has received rave reviews from Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll. Robinson came in about 15 pounds heavier than expected, but the Seahawks admitted it has given him even more power to go with his finesse moves.
“It’s [the added weight] helped him.” Carroll said, per Seattle Post-Intelligencer. “He’s a powerful rusher. He already has good finesse and good moves and understands how to play on the edge and all. But you can see him break the edge down some because he’s stronger than some of the faster, sleeker guys that are weighing in the 250s … He’s run in the 4.6s. You put the whole package together and he’s done well. He’s done real well. He’s learned well. We have seen him play in a game yet, so we don’t know. But he’s made a really good impression.”
Robinson’s Best Season at Syracuse Came in 2018 With 10 Sacks
Robinson played his college career at Syracuse and his best season came in 2018 when he notched 10 sacks, 39 tackles and 17 tackles for loss. After the draft, Carroll admitted he was surprised that Robinson was still available in the fifth round, noting that he had similar traits to pass rushers selected earlier.
“I was really surprised that Alton was still there, because he could be a big help for our football team,” Carroll told Syracuse.com. “…I was really fired up that we were able to get Alton where we got him because he’s got the ability and the production to do things that guys got picked quite a bit higher.”
Carroll is not alone as NFL.com’s draft analyst Lance Zierlein labeled the defensive end as one of the best values.
“This year’s draft class wasn’t very heavy on edge rushers, which is why adding a player with Robinson’s size and athletic profile is such great value in the fifth for the Seahawks,” Zierlein explained. “For me, his rush traits are more equal to a late third- or early fourth-round pick, but he did have a down season in 2019 relative to his 2018, when he was a second-team All-ACC selection. Doubling up on rushers with Darrell Taylor and Robinson was a very shrewd move by GM John Schneider.”
Robinson Could Be Part of the Defensive Line Rotation With Bruce Irvin & Benson Mayowa
Robinson is just one of the new additions to the defensive line as the Seahawks signed Bruce Irvin and Benson Mayowa in free agency. Carroll is familiar with both players as they are former Seahawks. Irvin figures to spend time at linebacker as well as being an edge rusher and believes Robinson can have a “major role” for the Seahawks.
“I think Alton is doing a hell of a job,” Irvin explained to the Seattle Post-Intelligencer. “I think Alton is doing a really, really good job of just coming to work every day, finding something to get better at each and every day. He’s working his tail off and it’s translating for him. He’s making plays, getting sacks. Hopefully, he can keep doing that and hopefully, he can contribute and play a major role for us when the season starts.”
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