Film Room: Why Javan Robinson should be a high-end starter for Wisconsin football
Breaking down the play of the Wisconsin Badgers' likely CB1, Arizona State transfer Javan Robinson.
With two outgoing transfers and a pair of graduates, Wisconsin football knew it needed to significantly re-stock its cornerback room this offseason.
By the time the transfer portal closed, the Badgers had mined it for four new corners. The headliner? Javan Robinson, formerly of Arizona State.
Robinson’s signing didn’t come with much fanfare, but make no mistake: he’s one of Wisconsin’s most crucial pickups in this portal cycle. The Badgers needed to rebuild their secondary from the ground up, and landing a player with Robinson’s experience (1,600-plus career snaps, two seasons as a starter) was paramount.
But it’s not just Robinson’s experience that makes him a splashy get for Wisconsin. Pop on the tape, and the 5-foot-11 outside corner has some legit skills that get you excited about his potential in Madison.
Below, BadgerNotes.com dives into the film to outline why Robinson’s potential is through the roof with Wisconsin:
Robinson has played 928 coverage snaps across his illustrious four-year career, spanning two seasons at Washington and another two at Arizona State. The vast majority of those coverage reps have come at outside cornerback.
With that kind of experience, I popped on the tape expecting to see a sound, technical cover corner who holds down his side of the field consistently. I wasn’t disappointed.
Robinson (#12) is the boundary corner at the top of your screen. Arizona targeted him early and often in this edition of the Duel in the Desert, and the Wildcats have what they want here: single coverage with no safety help over the top.
Against a passing offense this prolific (Arizona quarterback Noah Fifita’s 3,228 yards checked in at No. 23 in the country), the fact that the Sun Devils trusted Robinson on an island in this situation says a lot.
That didn’t dissuade Fifita from targeting him repeatedly on go routes:
This is more of the same. Robinson goes stride for stride with the wideout, using the sideline to his advantage and knocking the ball away at the catch point.
But that isn’t just any wideout. That’s Arizona’s leading receiver, Kris Hutson, who finished the year with 60 grabs for 764 yards and four touchdowns. This past fall was his sixth season of college ball; he’s a talented and experienced pass-catcher. Keep your eye on the receiver at the bottom of the screen:
For what it’s worth, this is also a gorgeous throw into a tight window with pressure bearing down. Still, Hutson does well to shake Robinson here. He immediately wins with his inside release, and by the second cut at the top of the route, Robinson has no chance.
A corner that’s never beaten is a corner that never plays. Robinson can’t win every rep, especially against a talent like Hutson, and especially with Fifita throwing the ball. This is simply a filthy route by the receiver, and sometimes you have to tip your cap for a release like that.
Those two battled all game, and Hutson’s snappy cuts weren’t always that effective. Again, watch the matchup at the bottom of the screen:
Across the hundreds of snaps I watched, there wasn’t any one particular area of weakness with Robinson’s game, but there was a strength I kept coming back to — he rarely got beaten deep. Below, he’s lined up at the top of your screen:
That backpedal is a thing of beauty. I also love how Robinson keeps his eyes on the Iowa State quarterback while maintaining flawless coverage. This is a good throw; Cyclones gunslinger Rocco Becht gives his wideout a chance. Robinson, on the other hand, doesn’t.
Still, when a corner is beaten deep, it’s often catastrophic:
