Kansas City Chiefs: Demarcus Robinson Matching Old Hype

Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Demarcus Robinson should have been one of the top prospects at his position, but immaturity killed his draft stock.  Now he has to show his focus matches his considerable talent.

I was thrilled when the Kansas City Chiefs selected Demarcus Robinson of Florida in the fourth round of the 2016 NFL Draft.  I immediately felt that the team may have pulled off the steal of the draft.  In my book, Robinson had 2nd (and possibly 1st) round talent but was being overlooked because of past issues he had as a freshman.

So far in Chiefs Training Camp, Robinson is proving me right.  A session doesn’t seem to go by where we don’t hear about the rookie hauling in a deep ball or a making a big play.  He’s doing it against just about everyone he lines up against, and that is promising for the youngster.

The Chiefs wide receiver corps has not been one to strike fear into its opponents in recent years…heck, maybe ever.  Many fans expected that to change with Andy Reid at the helm, but the change has been slow going.  Of course we all remember 2013 when the wide receivers failed to connect on a single touchdown all season.

Last year brought a much needed change with the addition of Jeremy Maclin.  It also marked the beginning of a youth movement at wide receiver with Albert Wilson and Chris Conley.  The Chiefs continued that movement this year with Demarcus Robinson and Tyreek Hill, but they will need some early returns from the two rookies.

Robinson is showcasing his talent on the offense, but also pulling some praise in Special Teams where coach Dave Toub listed him as one of the more promising players in the return game.  That’s big for Robinson because it could give him more opportunities to get the ball in his hands, which is how he will make his mark.

What we are not seeing from Demarcus Robinson is any of the old aloofness and disregard for the rules that he showed early in his career at Florida.  It would appear that he has a new found respect for rules and why they exist…or at least for their consequences.  Either way, he is putting in some solid work on the field and impressing all those in attendance.

For my part, I see Robinson as the eventual #2 wide receiver behind Jeremy Maclin in the near future.  He has that kind of talent.  He could eventually even become the team’s #1 receiver.  He has big play ability with both the deep ball and in catch and run situations, which is the ideal skill in the West Coast Offense.

Next: Tyreek Hill Burying His Past

If Demarcus Robinson can live up to his old hype, then the Kansas City Chiefs will have gotten a possible star in the fourth round of the draft.  That’s not bad value at all.  Robinson could also help to provide a solid foundation for the future of the franchise.