GoldandBlack.com's Purdue player draft: No. 24 overall
This summer, the Boilermakers are being divided.
Reporters Stacy Clardie and Kyle Charters are going head-to-head in GoldandBlack.com's Purdue player draft, a daily selection in which separate rosters of 25 are being assembled over the next two months. In late July, we'll decide — based on GoldandBlack.com staff and member feedback — which team would win.
Charters up, at No. 24.
I was really hoping that Stacy would skip Cole Herdman and go elsewhere — maybe linebacker? — because I really wanted the tight end at Pick No. 24.
But she didn't do it.
She's building a pretty good offense over there. But in our fantasy game that might turn into a track meet, my defense might need only a stop or two, and I think I've got a better group there, by far.
And today, I'll add to it, selecting defensive end Gelen Robinson. Admittedly, I'm still counting on the junior to cash in on his potential, an ongoing storyline that's starting to turn a bit sour. Being an upperclassman now, the 6-foot-1, 265-pounder is running low — or lower at least — on time. If he's to become what many thought, then his time to start turning the corner is now.
I still have hope.
Robinson shows flashes, being able to use his hands and strong upper body to rip away from blockers and dump runners behind the line of scrimmage. Late last season, he did so on an end-around, dumping the wide receiver for a loss, a sign of his capabilities. And at times, Robinson can speed around the edge to hassle the quarterback; in the jersey scrimmage this spring, he frequently got the better of Martesse Patterson, with the latter resorting to just grabbing hold of the former's jersey to slow him down.
Motor is the issue. If a move doesn't work, Robinson's too apt to slow up his pursuit. And that cost him in the spring, when he moved behind Austin Larkin on the depth chart. Will Larkin start in the fall? No idea. The book is so small on the J.C. transfer that it's hard to determine his ability.
But we've seen enough of Robinson to know he does have it, only a matter of him putting it together. I'm still counting on him to do so.
Draft ticker: 1-20 | 21. Bilal Marshall | 22. Gregory Phillips | 23. Cole Herdman
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