Darius Robinson was nervous in his NFL debut. The Saints were using their starters in the preseason opener against the Cardinals, and all the rookie defensive lineman could think was that he better be ready to "bring it."
The first play, he dragged down running back Alvin Kamara for the first tackle of the game.
"I'm ready to bring it each and every day, but it kind of sinks in," Robinson said Monday. "The first tackle was Alvin Kamara, so it was like, 'OK, I'm here, ready and locked and loaded.'"
The first-round pick played 10 snaps against the Saints Saturday night, and the brief work showed what Robinson has shown in practice – that he indeed brings a defensive line presence that will be crucial to the Cardinals.
"I expect him to play well, and he didn't play a ton," coach Jonathan Gannon said. "For what he's done in training camp and in that game, I think he's right where he needs to be to be a person that affects winning in a positive way for us on defense."
Does Robinson still have a chance to earn a starting job by the time the regular season begins? "1000 percent," Gannon said.
Not that Robinson will push that agenda. There is a reason the checklist publicly for the Cardinals is listed as No. 1 Team and No. 2 Me.
"That's a good question," Robinson said of the desire to start. "I just want to be the best Darius Robinson. Whatever that looks like."
It looks pretty good to most observers. His first game left more of an imprint than the other first-round pick, Marvin Harrison Jr., after the wide receiver played just three snaps without being involved in a play. That's understandable given that Kyler Murray and the other starters did not play.
Robinson is in a different space. He needed work. Consistency, regardless of the part of Robinson's game, is what Gannon brings up most frequently. That isn't unexpected for a rookie.
"The sky is the limit for the guy," Gannon said. "We're pushing him, and he pushes himself."
In his self-evaluation from the Saints game, Robinson liked how he played with confidence and his physicality. He didn't like how he was going a bit too fast on plays, costing him in one way or another.
Unlike college, Robinson is allowed to watch video on the sideline, and since he played just 10 snaps he already dove into his stint after he was done and the game was still going on. Then, after watching his teammates for a bit, he watched his 10 snaps again. And then again when he got home that night, and again Sunday morning.
Then, Robinson figured, he'd stop "because it ain't that deep."
But Robinson loves to watch video, to prepare, to break down the opponent. He already has watched the Colts' preseason game against the Broncos from this weekend twice over prepping for this week's joint practices and game. That will continue. He's a video junkie, and now that he's in the NFL and not sharing time taking college classes, "I ain't got nothing else to do."
Gannon loves football junkies, and Robinson is one. That's another reason why he could find himself a starter sooner rather than later.
"There was nothing where, 'Wow, I don't think I'm ready for that,'" Robinson said.
CLEAN BILL OF HEALTH
Gannon reiterated the Cardinals came out of the preseason opener clean in terms of injuries.
"We're actually getting healthy as we go to the Midwest," Gannon said.
The Cardinals fly to Indiana Tuesday for two joint practices with the Colts this week prior to Saturday's game.
