Cardinals sign first-round draft pick Darius Robinson, rookie contract details revealed

The Arizona Cardinals have officially inked first-round draft pick Darius Robinson to his rookie contract. He’s signed a four-year deal for $13.869 million after going No. 27 overall in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft.

His deal includes a $6.906 million signing bonus and a starting base salary of $795,000. His base salary each season will increase each season through 2027. As a first-round pick, Robinson’s contract includes a fifth-year option for the Cardinals. If they choose to exercise his option after his third season, he’ll be locked in with Arizona through the 2028 season.

Entering the draft, the former Missouri defensive lineman had a strong feeling they’d take him with their second first-round selection.

“It felt like they had a plan of action of how they want to use their defensive lineman in their defensive scheme,” Robinson said after the draft. “I knew (Arizona) was the place for me since the beginning of this process.”

Robinson ready to work for Cardinals

Robinson shined in his senior season for the Tigers. He posted a career-high 8.5 sacks with his first career forced fumble during the 2023 season. He earned a First-Team All-SEC selection after the season. Joining the Tigers in 2019, he contributed for four of five seasons, culminating in his standout performance this year.

As a junior, Robinson had 35 tackles with 3.5 sacks. Over his five seasons at Missouri, he had 115 tackles. At the NFL Scouting Combine, Robinson clocked an impressive 4.95-second 40-yard dash. As a versatile defensive lineman, the Cardinals coaches will have fun moving him around.

“I’m a technician,” Robinson said, via ArizonaCardinals.com. “I’m always working on my hands inside, open body rotation, turning my toe at the top of the rush, coming out of my hips. That means whenever I go to a different alignment, I’m the same guy, it’s just the step and the timing is a little bit different.”

Robinson said he’ll play wherever the Cardinals coaches believe is the best fit.

“Whatever they need me to do, I will do it, man,” he said. “I feel like our coaches put me in the best position to win, so why wouldn’t I listen to my coaches?”

Robinson was a three-star prospect out of Canton High School in Canton, Michigan, where he was the No. 644 player in the nation and the No. 57 EDGE for the 2019 recruiting cycle, according to the On3 Industry Ranking, a weighted average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies.