Arizona Cardinals select Darius Robinson in first round of 2024 NFL Draft

The Arizona Cardinals have selected Missouri edge rusher Darius Robinson with the No. 27 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. He enjoyed an impressive five-year college career and will now aim to carry that success over to the next level.

Robinson had arguably his best season yet as a senior in 2023. He finished with 43 total tackles and led the Tigers with 14 tackles for loss along with 8.5 sacks and a forced fumble. He earned first team All-SEC honors as Missouri reached 11 wins for only the fourth time in program history.

Robinson was a three-year starter on the defensive line for the Tigers and appeared in 47 games across his career. He finished with 112 tackles (21 for loss) and 13 sacks during his time in Columbia.

The majority of Robinson’s production came over the past two seasons as he developed into one of the top defenders in the SEC. He ended the 2022 season with 31 tackles (5.5 for loss) and 3.5 sacks, meaning 12 of his 13 career sacks came during the final two years of his career.

As a recruit, Robinson was a three-star prospect coming out of Canton High School (MI). He ranked as the No. 644 overall player and No. 57 edge rusher in the 2019 cycle according to the On3 Industry Ranking, a weighted average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies.

It’s been quite the career for Robinson in college, and now he’ll look to show fans why he was among the top edge rusher’s in this year’s draft.

What NFL Draft analysts are saying about Darius Robinson

NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein provided some analysis on Robinson in his recent scout of the edge rusher’s profile. He highlighted the size and strength of Robinson, who stands 6-foot-5 and weighs 285 pounds.

As good as he has looked the past couple of years at Mizzou, Robinson still has room to get even better as he enters the NFL. If he can hone his skills even further to complement his athleticism, he could end up being a very solid player in the league.

“Right out of the gate, Robinson’s physical attributes should give him a potential advantage in head-to-head matchups,” Zierlein wrote. “He has jarring power in his hands and a twitchy upper body to get rid of blockers quickly. His arm length is a weapon at the point of attack. His play can lack control and awareness at times, but the good outweighs the bad.

“He’s a good athlete, but his pass rush is predictable. He lacks potent moves and counters as an edge rusher, leaning heavily on force. Robinson’s power and motor increase the chances he becomes a good starting base end who reduces inside on third downs.”