Chop Robinson is one of the top defensive players in college football. As we sit here a few weeks away from the start of the season, that’s not up for debate.

Robinson has been a mainstay in the first round of way-too-early 2024 NFL mock drafts. Pro Football Focus ranked him as the No. 19 player in the country and the third-best edge rusher behind only Florida State’s Jared Verse and Washington’s Bralen Trice. Just flip on the film from last fall: Robinson’s talent is undeniable.

But this time a year ago, Robinson was still getting settled. Robinson was a high-profile transfer addition when he left Maryland and joined Penn State last June. The former five-star recruit had potential; it was just a matter of the Maryland native moving from linebacker to defensive end and taking to a new defense.

“It was a new position. I was learning the plays. It was a new environment, being away from home,” Robinson said. “Now, I’m way more comfortable.”

For that, Robinson thanks Deion Barnes, Penn State’s current defensive line coach who worked as a graduate assistant the previous three seasons.

It’s no coincidence that when John Scott Jr. left for the NFL, Robinson was one of Barnes’ biggest supporters, lobbying for the 30-year-old letterman to get the full-time job. Barnes helped Robinson last year, and he felt compelled to do the same.

“He kept pushing me,” Robinson said during Sunday’s team media day. “I get down on myself when I make mistakes. So he always made sure I was level-headed. He kept pushing me for greatness. And I think I’m getting closer to reaching that.”

If Robinson didn’t reach it last year as a sophomore, he was pretty darn close. The 6-foot-3, 250-pounder was a menace off the edge. He had 10 tackles for loss, 5 1/2 sacks, two pass breakups, a forced fumble and fumble recovery. Whether he was getting to the quarterback and drawing attention from blockers, Robinson was a key piece for a defense that led the Big Ten in TFLs (104) and sacks (42).

The advanced stats loved what Robinson did last fall, too. In 2022, he led all Power Five defensive ends with a 92.4 pass-rushing grade, per PFF.

All that success and all the accolades that followed this offseason hasn’t gone to Robinson’s head. He harps on consistency and shows that in his approach on the practice field, in the locker room, in meetings and during film sessions.

Barnes has seen Robinson’s mindset develop over the last year. When he arrived, he was focused on getting acclimated to the system. Now, it’s a bit different.

“He’s on a mission,” Barnes said. “He’s understanding the game more, starting to understand what it means to be one of the best. He’s taking ownership of that.”

Barnes, looking across the field at Beaver Stadium during media day, continued.

“If I told him to run through that Rocket Mortgage sign over there, he’d do it. That’s the type of guy he is. He wants to do it. He’s a quiet guy. But when he’s out there, he’s efficient. And he’s doing what he needs to do to be the best of the best.”

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