An Interview with Allen Robinson

Steve Wyremski

He may receive recognition from the fantasy community, but mainstream media outlets such as ESPN and NFL Network as well as casual fans consistently underrate Allen Robinson. This may seem crazy considering the 22 year-old is fresh off of an 80 reception, 1,400 yard and 14 touchdown season.  But he receives significantly less coverage than the likes of Odell Beckham and DeAndre Hopkins, as well as Dez Bryant in his 2012 breakout season.  In recent months these three, as well as a handful of others, are always on top receiver lists. Robinson, however, is left off many of these lists. “That’s something that’s always going to give me an extra little edge and a chip on my shoulder,” says Robinson. Despite his stellar season, Robinson was also shockingly only a Pro Bowl alternate before getting the nod due to an injury to Calvin Johnson. This just adds to the motivation.

Why?

Part of it may be attributable to the small Jacksonville market.  Additionally, his doubters suggest he is unlikely to repeat last season’s performance,  believing we’ve seen his ceiling in 2015. With the regression and statistical slumps we’ve seen from others following a breakout season (Michael Clayton, Braylon Edwards, etc.), it’s understandable why one would embrace this thought process. Yet Robinson still has room to grow.

He was eighth in the league with 151 targets, and his catch percentage (53%) still has room for improvement with other top receivers in the 60% range. Most importantly, Robinson is not satisfied with his breakout season. He is seeking improvement with a focused mentality headed into the heart of the off-season. “Never satisfied,” he says about his 2015 success. “I want to become a lot more efficient on my catch to target ratio. I want to become a more improved route runner. I want to do some more things after the catch and in the red zone. There’s always something I’m working on.” These are the first words out of Robinson’s mouth when speaking with him, which should tell you all you need to know about his mentality headed into 2016.

To put Robinson’s 2015 season in perspective, consider this: he is one of only two receivers in NFL history to reach 1,400 yards and 14 touchdowns in his first two years. The only other player – Jerry Rice. He’s also one of only four players in NFL history to reach those marks in his career with an average of 17.5 yards or more per reception (post-1970 merger), along with Randy Moss, Calvin Johnson and Jerry Rice. That is elite company – and he’s only 22 years old. Some may suggest 1,400 yards and 14 touchdowns is an arbitrary mark and there are others with a higher volume of receptions or yards in their career like Julio Jones, Antonio Brown or AJ Green. That’s certainly a factual statement, but regardless the comparison alone shows just how impressive was Robinson’s season.

As alluded earlier, Robinson consistently plays with a chip on his shoulder, which means we’re more likely to see consistency in his performance going forward. Whether it was the doubters questioning his ability to succeed in the NFL, or the initial 2015 Pro Bowl snub, he uses it as fuel to succeed and remain focused. “I’ll always have that chip. I came into the league with a chip and I’ll continue to have one,” Robinson says.

I recently spent some time with Allen to discuss why he’s underrated, how he can continue with his feverish momentum, as well as Christian Hackenberg’s NFL potential. Here is the full transcript of the discussion:

If you’re interested in listening to the full interview instead, here’s the audio file:

 

SW: Man, it’s been a fantastic year for you in 2015, huh? 1400+ yards and 14 TDs, a Honolulu trip, youngest receiver at 22 to hit those 1400+ yards and 14 TDs – you satisfied?

AR: Na, man. Never satisfied. For me, watching tape, I know what kind of plays I left out there. So, this year, I want to become a lot more efficient on my catch to target ratio. For me, there’s always something I’m working on. I want to become a more improved route runner. I want to do some more things after the catch and in the red zone. I want to tighten my route running. Knowing that coming into the off-season, I just try to create a plan for myself. The same thing I did last off-season. [I] just create a plan for myself and go from there.

SW: It’s interesting you bring up the catch to target ratio, that was something I was going to ask you about in a little bit. I think last year, you were at roughly 53% and most of the elite guys are around 60%. You mentioned some of your route running, etc., so do you think the target to catch ratio was a function of you or is that quarterback play, or that you were targeted downfield a ton?

AR: For me, I gotta take the blame myself. That’s the most important thing as far as trying to improve my game. Whatever it was, I need to get open and make the catches more efficiently than I did. I need to put myself in a position to do that. At the same time, though, like you say, I had a lot of down field targets. It’s a culmination of things. For me, I gotta be able to do my part and improve my game in that way.

SW: I don’t think you’re getting the national attention that you do deserve. I think a lot of, call it, the “fantasy world” is certainly on board because they see it week to week, but nationally across the outlets like ESPN, NFL Network you don’t seem to be getting the accolades you deserve given the year you just had. For example, Merril Hoge put out something recently – the top 5 receivers under 25 – the list included DeAndre Hopkins, Sammy Watkins, Jarvis LandryOdell Beckham and Amari Cooper, but you weren’t on that list – how’d you feel when you saw that?

AR: That’s something that’s always going to give me an extra little edge and a chip on my shoulder. I’ve been in that situation since I [came] out of high school. That’s something I’m used to. I don’t think too much of it. At the end of the day, I put it behind me and let my game speak for itself. I’m not really worried about the accolades or the attention from the media. As long as I get the respect from my teammates in the locker room and my coaches [see that] I’m making the plays. That’s the only thing that really matters to me.

SW: The Jaguars PR staff recently put out a stat that you’re one of two receivers in NFL history with 1400+ yards and 14+ TDs in year one or year two of your career. Jerry Rice was the only other player – thoughts on that?

AR: Yeah, man. It’s pretty cool. This past season I was in a lot of categories with Jerry Rice and Randy Moss. Whenever you’re in conversations with guys like that – one Hall of Fame guy and a future Hall of Famer. Whenever I’m in [conversations] like that, that’s always good.

SW: Do you think it’s justified or warranted for you to be in that company with guys like Jerry Rice, and you mentioned, Randy Moss and Calvin Johnson if you look at that same threshold over anyone’s career, forget the first two seasons of someone’s career, but there’s only four guys to ever hit these numbers in their career. Do you think that company’s warranted? Do you think you belong in that category?

AR: For sure. As long as I continue to work to stay there. For me, again, all I can do is go out there and make plays. So, whatever category people want to put me in based on my stats. It’s kind of out of my control.  At the end of the day, it’s about going out there and making plays.

SW: I mentioned the media outlets not picking up on much of your success thus far. Do you think that’s a function of the Jacksonville market and the fact that you guys had one primetime game last year?

AR: I think it can. Whenever you’re in a big market, we understand that they get publicity and things. As we improve as a team, get better and start to win more games, we’ll get all the attention that we need.

SW: Going back to the lack of respect you seem to receive nationally, you originally weren’t elected to the Pro Bowl and were arguably the biggest snub initially. Ultimately, Calvin Johnson sat out due to injury. I know you said you don’t care about the accolades, but you had to have been aggravated initially, and then satisfied that you ultimately got there like you deserved to be – will you carry a chip on your shoulder into 2016 because of the initial snub?

AR: Oh, for sure. Just like you say, it’s a lot of things. As far as the top five under 25. Even though there are a lot of things out of my control that I don’t think too much of, at the end of the day, it happens. For me, [I] want to make plays. I want to get better. At the end of the day, I’ll always have that chip. Going into my workouts, situations like that create a chip for me. I came into the league with a chip and I’ll continue to have one.

SW:  You say you came into the league with a chip, what was that mostly due to? Does it go back to the Combine and your 40-time when people were doubting you or something else?

AB: The whole thing. With me coming into the league, it was about me not being able to make big plays. I wanted to not only prove these doubters wrong, but also prove coach [Gus] Bradley and Mr. [David] Caldwell right. Those were the guys who gave me an opportunity. Having a young receiving corps, during the off-season, everyone was feeling that [the Jaguars] should bring in some experience and they didn’t. They had the confidence in us to go out there and do it. For me, it just creates a chip.

SW: We’ve seen it time and again, a guy breaks out with a dominant season, you go to the off-season and you’re coasting a little bit and then you have a disappointing follow up year – is that in the back of your mind at all?

AR: Nope… nope… not at all. For me, leading up [to] the season and into the season, I try to put myself in the best possible situation as far as playing and knowing the game plan and [being] mentally focused going into the game. If I do that and continue to work hard on the field and off the field, and be prepared for the game and be prepared going into camp, and continue to put myself in a good position, I can’t worry too much about the end result. I just know that I’m putting myself in the best possible position to get the result I want.

SW: So, how do you prevent that from happening? Is it purely off-season focus? What are you prepping this off-season into next season to prevent that from happening?

AB: I’m just approaching it the same way I did last season. Training in Jacksonville with our strength staff. Doing the same things that I did. Just putting myself in a good position to play well. I feel like if I do that, at the end of the day, I’ll like my result.

SW: Did you notice in the second half of last year, after you started so strong, that opposing defenses changed the way they schemed against you? Whether it be more bracket coverage or double teams?

AR: A little bit. For us as an offense, we have so many weapons, so whenever it happens, it’s just sticking to the game plan, not trying to do too much, and waiting for my number to be called. Just helping out any way possible. When teams try to do stuff like that and take you out of the game, you have to continue to play your game. That’s not [much else] you should be focusing on or you can focus on.

SW: I’d heard in a recent interview with you, you were asked [to name] some of the most difficult corners you’ve faced thus far. You mentioned Darrelle Revis, Vontae Davis and Jason Verrett. What about those three guys makes them a difficult matchup for you? Is it their press coverage? Their closing speed?

AR: Vontae and Revis are pretty good corners. Just balancing their size and their physicality with how good their technique is – it’s a challenge for anyone. With Jason Verrett, it’s his athleticism. He’s athletic, a really fast guy… quick. All those guys have the make up of your ideal corner and they’re playing like it. I think that’s what makes those guys special.

SW: I’m surprised that Channing Stribling wasn’t in there. You’ve got a tattoo of him on your chest. With that tattoo, it’s obviously one of your best plays at Penn State, right? Your towering high point catch over Stribling. He was a little salty after he saw you post it over on Twitter. You guys exchanged some back and forth– any regrets at all following his reaction?

AR: Not at all. For me, it’s a tattoo. I didn’t post it and tag him in it or anything. He took it the way he wanted to. He said some things, I wasn’t going to respond, but I did. I really don’t [regret it] at all.

SW: Sticking with Penn State – Christian Hackenberg. His best season of his collegiate career was as a freshman in 2013. Coincidentally, that was your last year at Penn State when you put together a monster year with almost 100 receptions, 1400+ yards and six touchdowns. Many people believe he was a function of your talent and may be why he’s viewed as a solid prospect headed into the NFL draft – thoughts?

AR: I can’t take the credit for the success at Penn State. He put the work in. He made the throws. I was ready to make some plays for him. You look at the talent and what he’s done over a career, he’ll be a solid player in this league. I can’t take anyone’s credit at all.

SW: You’ve played with a young quarterback in Blake Bortles and have had success after two years in the league so you do have some perspective, do you think Hackenberg can be a successful QB at the next level?

AR: Yeah, I think so. I think the biggest thing is the mental aspect of the game when you look at anyone across the board, especially quarterback. Those guys have so much going on, as far as the plays, the coverage, [and] the protection. The quicker you can get that and stay ahead of the game, there’s nothing that can give you that much of an edge. If you have a good feel for the coverage tendencies and see different blitzes early in the play clock, and get your team adjusted…. if he really hones in and attacks the game mentally, he’ll be as good as he wants.

SW: You saw those qualities in Hackenberg, the ones that you just mentioned, you saw that when you were playing with him in 2013?

AR: I can’t speak for anything after my junior season, but I know from playing with him and Coach O’Brien that he has that system where you have to change the protection, alert plays or kill plays, and get into different audibles. I know he has the capabilities to do it because I’ve seen him do it before.

SW: I want to spend the final question talking about your foundation, Within Reach, can you just talk a little about the foundation and what you’re trying to do with it?

AR: My foundation is to try to connect with kids through education and athletics. For me, growing up in the inner city of Detroit, I was able to meet people that I idolized as a young person and was able to hear the different things that they were able to tell me. I think it hit a little bit differently hearing it from someone other than your parents. That’s what I’m trying to do.

Follow Allen Robinson on Twitter @Thee_AR15

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