4/30/2023 football Edit

Former FSU DB, Panthers pick Jammie Robinson motivated by NFL Draft slight

Curt Weiler • TheOsceola

Senior Writer

Jammie Robinson didn’t cry when he got the call that informed him he was going to be an NFL Draft pick Saturday afternoon.

Instead, the former Florida State safety admits that the tears had come the night before. He expected to be a second- or third-round pick who heard his name called Friday night. When things didn’t play out according to how he envisioned, he was hurt.

Because of this, Robinson definitely saw the chip on his shoulder grow even larger when he dropped all the way into the fifth round before the Carolina Panthers took him with the 145th overall pick on Saturday.

“Salty is not the word. I’m hurt. I know that I was better than a lot of guys that got picked,” Robinson told reporters on a media zoom call with the Panthers after his selection. “But honestly, I can’t control what happened. All I can control is the next chapter and the next chapter is about to be a great ride for me and my family and the fans as well. I plan on being in Carolina for my whole career.”

Robinson has never lacked for confidence during his time with the Seminoles. Since committing to FSU as a transfer from South Carolina ahead of the 2021 season, the header on his Twitter profile has been the NFL logo, speaking into existence his ultimate goal.

While Robinson always talked a big talk at FSU, he always backed it up on the field. He was a first-team All-ACC safety in each of his seasons with the Seminoles, the first FSU defensive back to do that since Jalen Ramsey in 2014 and 2015.

While a bit undersized by NFL standards at 5-foot-11 and 190 pounds, Robinson does everything you would want from a safety. He’s a capable blitzer, good in coverage and a stellar tackler, leading the Seminoles in tackles each of the last two seasons with 183 tackles, 12 tackles for loss, eight pass breakups and five interceptions over his time at FSU.

“He has third-round talent. He has top-100 talent,” NFL.com analyst Lance Zierlein said of Robinson on the NFL Draft Center stream when he was selected. “The problem is he’s a little bit small at safety, he’s a short-arm safety, he didn’t test very well, he ran 4.59 on a fast track in Indianapolis, didn’t really jump explosively.

“But then when you turn on the tape, he plays with anticipation as a defender, he can play in the slot, he’ll run the alley and smack you. He’s everything you want in a safety. He just didn’t test great and he doesn’t have the measurables you love. It cost him a couple rounds, but he’s a really good football player.”

Asked for one play from his collegiate career to describe who he is as a football player, Robinson went right to the one every FSU fan surely has in mind: his physical strip sack where he threw Miami backup quarterback Jacurri Brown to the ground in last year’s 45-3 win over the Hurricanes.

“That play against Miami, it exemplifies that I’m a dog. I’m probably not the biggest on the field, but I’m a dog,” Robinson said.

Although Robinson wasn’t in person at the draft to be handed the proper hat after learning what team selected him, he was already repping his new team by the time he got on Zoom to talk to the reporters who cover the Panthers.

FSU undrafted free agent tracker

Robinson and his family rented out an AirBNB in Atlanta to celebrate his pending selection. It just so happened that the people staying next to him were Panthers fans who gave him a Panthers beanie they had to wear upon learning he was drafted by their team.

Just like he wasted no time repping his new team, Robinson wasted no time turning his attention to the new task that was finally at hand with his long NFL Draft process over.

“I’ve been upset since yesterday, I’m not going to lie to you. I’ve been upset about this whole thing, but I know this pick is going to be the best pick in the draft,” Robinson said. “Carolina Panthers, y’all know I’m going to come in and compete for a spot. I’m going to be a team guy at the end of the day also. I know there aren’t 144 guys better than me, but it is what it is, the chips fell and I’ve got that chip on my shoulder, too. I’m just ready to work…

“I’m a team guy. I don’t care what position I’m playing. As long as I’m on the field out there, making plays for my team, helping the team get wins, that’s what I’m about.”