Report: Ravens hosted Penn State EDGE Chop Robinson for a pre-draft visit

The Ravens are among several teams interested in the projected mid-to-late first rounder with elite athletic traits.

While Baltimore Ravens general manager Eric DeCosta admitted to agreeing with the consensus about the 2024 NFL Draft class being “average” at edge defender, there are some gifted prospects who have the potential to be special and blossom into true difference makers.

One such incoming rookie pass rusher who possesses elite athleticism is Penn State’s Chop Robinson, a projected mid-to-late first-round pick. According to Bleacher Report’s Jordan Schultz, the Ravens are among nearly a dozen teams who recently hosted the former Nittany Lion for an official pre-draft visit.

Robinson has the most explosive first steps among any defender in this year’s class and tested off the charts at the 2024 NFL Scouting Combine. The Relative Athletic Score of 9.79 out of a possible 10 that he produced ranked 36th out of 1,685 defensive ends since 1987 with elite composite grades in speed and agility, as well as a great composite grade in explosion.

The Gaithersburg, Maryland native played his entire career in the Big 10, beginning it as a Terrapin in his home state in 2021 before transferring to Penn State and making a bigger name for himself. Despite his rare explosive athletic ability, Robinson’s production in college when it came to sacks didn’t match his talent level with just 11.5 sacks and 20 tackles for loss in 30 career games. He never led any of the teams he played on in sacks and never recorded more than 5.5 sacks in a single season.

Nevertheless, the Ravens don’t believe sack numbers are the most important or accurate indicator of a pass rusher’s ability to be a disruptive force. Their coaching staff and front office believe pressures can be just as valuable and a better barometer of consistent impact. With all of the physical tools he possesses, Robinson could come and have a prominent role from Day 1 as a situational pass rusher who could blossom into a game wrecker under the tutelage of Ravens outside linebackers coach Chuck Smith, who guided three players to career years as pass rusher last season.

Although the Ravens have historically valued proven college production rather than gamble on projecting elite athletes will pop at the next level, DeCosta has been more willing to take those high-reward chances than his predecessor since taking over five years ago. In 2021, he used the second first-round selection acquired when he traded Pro Bowl offensive tackle Orlando Brown Jr. to the Kansas City Chiefs to take former Penn State product with rare traits in outside linebacker Odafe Oweh.

At the time, his decision was truly baffling to a large contingent of the fan base, pundits and avid followers of the team given their staunch past precedent about what they look for in the position. Oweh had just seven sacks and 13.5 tackles for loss in 20 career games including none in his final collegiate season. While he has yet to make a Pro Bowl or come close to recording double-digit sacks in a single season, Oweh remains an ascending talent whose pressure rates illustrate how just impactful he has truly been when healthy.

If Robinson does fall into the Ravens’ lap at the bottom of the first round as Oweh did, he might be too alluring of an option to pass up. Unlike Oweh, he wouldn’t be under pressure to play a full workload immediately since the team brought back 10-year veteran outside linebacker Kyle Van Noy on a two-year deal earlier this month and have 2022 second-rounder David Ojabo whom they still have high hopes for.