Coach David Robinson: The Wide Receiver Guru
9 April 2020 DRAFT Interviews
Eagles Nation, for as long as I can remember, the Philadelphia Eagles have been attempting to surround their QB1 with weapons. We have had some premier talent in DeSean Jackson, LeSean McCoy, and Terrell Owens; however, those guys came and left and a major void remained. McNabb dealt with it and now Carson Wentz has to suffer through it.
Listen, I have heard people talk about how none of the elite or top WRs have come close to the Super Bowl but that just is not true. People will always twist data to fit their arguments. In my lifetime, I have seen Julio Jones, Tyreek Hill, Emmanuel Sanders, Terrell Owens, Marvin Harrison, Reggie Wayne, Hines Ward, Jerry Rice, and Larry Fitzgerald all win or will their team to the big game. The important thing is that those teams have chemistry and culture.
We have teams like the 85 Bears where the two coaches and sides of the ball did not get along but they were just that talented that they willed themselves to a Super Bowl. The Eagles have shown how far they can go without elite talent and dealing with an unprecedented amount injuries, but why struggle when you could fix these issues and reach unseen heights of this franchise.
We have seen Carson Wentz carry this team with players who most people do not know. I was pounding the table to bring up Greg Ward, Robert Davis, and Deontay Burnett as soon as our starters started going down. These guys just needed an opportunity and after Carson developed some chemistry, they really caught on. I give those guys credit but I really think that it is Carson’s demeanor and patience that really help keep the ship afloat. He is a natural leader and you can see the right guys gravitate toward him when things aren’t easy.
However, we should not be grabbing guys off of the street for 11 when the season is on the line and we are making a push for the playoffs. Since Carson arrived, we have not invested in young premier talent at the wide receiver position. The past is the past and after an off-season where we saw Howie load up our defense, we now have 8 draft picks in a historic WR class and it’s time to really invest in getting Carson some help.
After spending months watching film and talking to fans, scouts, and coaches in regards to this WR class, things started to become redundant and sometimes hostile. The internet is a beautiful thing. It allows us to navigate all over and have access to almost an infinite amount of things. However, everyone has this own opinions (which is a beautiful thing), but it can lead to heated debates. Rather then engaging in these arguments, I try to remain as neutral as possible and to the best of my ability just educate people about these prospects.
My goal is to make the team I love better and the fans more informed. Some people like to belittle the work myself and others do, and that is okay. It just motivates us to work harder and shows exactly what not to do or how not to act. We are in the business of finding solutions; not creating more problems. The Eagles need to get Carson Wentz receivers, so all of my efforts are to find the best of the best and give you my informed opinions on why these people should be in midnight green.
To further my understanding of the process that these WRs go through, and how to identify the best of the best, I went to a man who lives for being part of the solution and being a positive influence to the game, wide receiver guru Coach David Robinson. Robinson was a three sport standout in high school and then took his talents to Oklahoma University from 2002-2006. While at OU, he was awarded the highly coveted Derrick Shepard Award that is awarded to the most inspirational walk-on player and also is named after the late great OU star and father of NFL receiver Sterling Shepard. Robinson finished his career at University of South Dakota and finished as an All-Conference receiver and an All-American in track and field.
Starting in 2008, Robinson really got serious in the business and transitioned into becoming a full time coach and trainer. Since then, Robinson has seen his brand skyrocket as he has now trained some of the best wide receivers in the league over the last decade in Julio Jones, Antonio Brown, Emmanuel Sanders, Dez Bryant, and many more. Robinson currently trains 75+ NFL wide receivers and several of the top prospects in this year’s draft including Jerry Jeudy, Denzel Mims, Jalen Reagor, Quartney Davis, and many more. What I love is that Robinson has created a sanctuary for these guys. Where else can a 20-year-old bright eyed NFL prospect go to meet 10+ NFL stars in one day to learn different techniques, get off the field advice, and then catch darts from Patrick Mahomes (who is also a regular at the facility).
TCU’s Jalen Reagor & Baylor’s Denzel Mim’s getting ready for the combine with WR guru David Robinson, the creator of Always Open. He helped train vets Antonio Brown and Emmanuel Sanders. Trains, Calvin Ridley, Hollywood Brown, Deebo Samuel, Mecole Hardman, Chris Godwin, and more pic.twitter.com/NEaNkyw4ja
— Chris Mallee (@mallee_chris_24) February 10, 2020
31 of the prospects he’s trained prior to the NFL draft were drafted and five were first round picks. He also trained two back-to-back Biletnikoff Award Winners in Dede Westbrook and Corey Coleman, as well as Jerry Jeudy who won in 2018.
@jerryjeudy @SInow ARTICLE!!!
NFL DRAFT 2020 @mjp360 … pic.twitter.com/lEsroV26zJ— David Robinson (@drobalwayzopen) April 1, 2020
Robinson is involved with the NFL Scouting Combine, Reese’s Senior Bowl, East v West Shrine Game, and pro day’s for his athletes. His program focuses on:
- POWER TRAINING
- INTERVIEW TRAINING
- SPEED TRAINING
- NUTRITION PREP
- PERFORMANCE PREP
- WONDERLIC PREP
Each wide receiver is trained to learn the fundamentals and emphasize:
- FOOTWORK
- CHANGE OF DIRECTION
- BALL SKILLS
- HAND-ROUTE MECHANICS
- BREAKING DOWN COVERAGES
- FILM STUDY
- PRESS COVERAGE
- MENTAL GAME
- 1-ON-1 EVALUATIONS.
I was lucky enough to befriend Robinson after several interactions online and he was more than happy to answer a few questions that are listed below.
Coach Robinson and I hope that our Q & A was informative and gave you some new insight and info. His coaching and techniques are tied to the blueprint of the NFL today. We have seen his recent athletes in DJ Chark, Patrick Mahomes, Mecole Hardman, Marquise Brown, and Courtland Sutton take the next step after working with Coach.
All of these kids are physically gifted but to truly achieve greatness, you also have to be gifted between the ears and willing to humble yourself and listen. My entire life, I am a believer that the best of the best are the ones who have the techniques and playbook so ingrained in them that on game day it is just them reacting in live time and there is no hesitation.
Since the first time I picked up a football, I became obsessed and made it a goal to learn everything I could about the game. Every year I would look at the Rivals list of the top rated talent and follow them. I could not get enough of the process and the stories. I trained myself to know what to look for and to talk to the right people. Coach Robinson has been a person I look up to because he does things the right way in regards to getting these guys ready, looking out for them, and looking out for guys like me who are working to get better every day.
If you are interested in learning more about Coach David Robinson, watching his training videos, and following along with his journey as well as his clients, check out the links below. If you are new to my content, I write articles on several topics but pride myself in studying the NFL Draft and all of the prospects. I have a draft hub with 50 or so names to check out and several have draft profiles my colleagues and I wrote up for the stars of tomorrow. I hope this article has been both unique and informative. Stay safe and stay healthy people. As always, Fly Eagles Fly!
David Robinson’s:
Chris Mallee’s:
Chris Mallee Antonio Brown, David Robinson, Denzel Mims, Jalen Reagor, Jerry Jeudy, Julio Jones, Quartney Davis