A year after transferring, Penn State’s Chop Robinson is among top pass rushers in the FBS

STATE COLLEGE — Chop Robinson sported a smile in the Beaver Stadium media room after Saturday’s Blue-White game. It was warranted after he spent the afternoon living in the White team’s backfield and chasing down whichever quarterback was in.

It was also fitting for Robinson, who committed to Penn State almost a year ago to the day, to take a moment and reflect on the player he’s already become.

“Honestly, I didn’t think it was all going to happen this fast,” Robinson said. “It came pretty quick.”

Robinson is one of the best pass rushers in college football. He showed it last season. He showed it again during the Blue-White game. And he plans to show it this fall. But up until last season, Robinson was all promise and potential without the production.

Robinson was a five-star prospect and one of Penn State’s top targets in the 2021 recruiting cycle. He was ranked as high as the No. 21 player in the country, per 247 Sports, with offers from Alabama, Clemson, Georgia and Ohio State. Every major powerhouse in the country wanted Chop.

Robinson, a Maryland native, stayed home to play for the Terrapins. On March 28, 2022, after one season in College Park, Robinson entered the transfer portal. Two weeks later — and two weeks before the 2022 Blue-White game — he verbally committed to Penn State.

Robinson needed a fresh start, and Penn State needed edge help after the departures of Arnold Ebiketie and Jesse Luketa. Both got what they wanted as the quick-twitch, 6-foot-3 defensive end teed off on opposing offensive tackles in 2022.

Robinson didn’t lead Penn State in sacks (5.5) or tackles for loss (10), ranking second and third on the team. But Robinson posted the second-best pass-rushing grade among edge rushers in the FBS, per Pro Football Focus. His 92.4 grade ranked behind only Houston’s D’Anthony Jones, who is preparing for the NFL draft.

Robinson, who was only an honorable mention All-Big Ten selection, flew under the radar a bit nationally. But operating within an aggressive Manny Diaz defense with talent at every level, Robinson was consistently one of the best players on the field.

“I was surrounded by great people, great coaches and a great culture,” Robinson said of his early success. “I wasn’t overwhelmed or anything. I stayed focused and stayed level-headed. With everybody around me, it was a competition every day.”

That’s still the case as Robinson enters his second season at Penn State.

Robinson is projected to line up opposite Adisa Isaac, who led the team with 11 TFLs and could have left early for the NFL draft. Dani Dennis-Sutton, a former five-star who dominated the Blue-White game, will make a push for starter-level snaps as a sophomore. Amin Vanover and Zuriah Fisher also will figure into the rotation.

Diaz and first-year defensive line coach Deion Barnes have an embarrassment of riches to utilize off the edge. How they get creative and split up the reps will be an interesting development to watch when the season gets underway in September.

In the meantime, Robinson is focused on what he thinks he needs to improve from last year. He’s not setting any personal goals in terms of TFLs or sacks. Robinson cares only about one thing — something he’ll have a big hand in if Penn State is able to pull it off.

“Win every game.”