Wan’Dale Robinson, Kentucky
Moving from one small and shifty receiver to another to wrap up our list as Robinson, a junior out of Kentucky, brings one of the more unique gadget skillsets in this class. Depending on who you ask, Robinson measures in somewhere between 5-foot-8 and 5-foot-11 with a lighter frame. Nevertheless, the former Wildcat made the most of his one year in Kentucky after transferring from Nebraska following the 2020 season. A second team All-SEC selection, Robinson set school records with 104 receptions and 1,334 receiving yards in 2021 while topping it off with Citrus Bowl MVP honors in Kentucky’s win over Iowa.
ESPN’s Todd McShay had this to say about the electric receiver when highlighting his best playmakers in space:
Robinson is a versatile slot receiver whose twitchiness and suddenness stand out on tape. He can reach top speed in a split-second after making a cut. It’s wild to watch. And every time he touches the ball, the game seems to speed up. He plucks the ball on the run as a receiver and transitions upfield smoothly. His quickness, burst, balance and vision stand out after the catch. In the vertical game, Robinson doesn’t have the size or length to dominate bigger, more physical cornerbacks, but he has the speed to run right past them.
Robinson also happens to be one of the more polarizing players when it comes to predicting where he may land in the draft. As we discussed with earlier entries, all it takes is for one team to fall in love with the speed Robinson brings to the table and we have ourselves a first-round pick, out of the Bears’ reach. Others however have the Kentucky receiver going as late as the third round.
Like we said from the start, this 2022 class of wide receivers may be one of the deepest we’ve seen in a long time, and they bring an extra dimension of speed with them. Poles is bound to snag at least one receiver among the three days in Vegas, it’s just anyone’s guess who the receiver(s) might be.
