One of Tennessee’s targets along the offensive line is ready to announce his commitment soon, and the Vols are one of his finalists.
James Robinson, a 6-foot-4, 327-pound offensive lineman who plays for Carver High School in Montgomery, Alabama, announced on Twitter late Sunday night that he is “committing soon” and listed off his five finalists. Tennessee made the cut along with Auburn, Texas A&M, Mississippi State, and Ole Miss. Robinson had previously announced his top eight schools at the end of June, but he cut Georgia Tech, Illinois, Missouri, and Nebraska from that list and added Texas A&M after a recent trip to their campus.
I’ll Be Committing Soon Sorry For The Wait ??? pic.twitter.com/9gjqBzwPSL
— James Robinson (@JamesRobinsonn_) July 29, 2019
According to the 247Sports rankings, Robinson is the No. 743 overall prospect and No. 42 offensive guard in the 2020 class. Their composite rankings have him outside the top 1,000 overall prospects in the cycle.
But Robinson’s offer list says more about his skill than his rankings.
Robinson holds offers from six SEC schools, including all five in his list of finalists and also Missouri. He also has offers from four other Power Five programs and had interest from Georgia after attending a camp there in June.
Tennessee offered Robinson back on March 9th while he was on an unofficial visit on UT’s campus. But it was later into the summer where he really impressed.
Back in early June, Robinson visited Tennessee’s campus to attend a camp held by UT’s coaches. While there, he solidified the offer the Vols extended to him back in early March when he visited the first time, and he posted video of his camp with the Vols on his Twitter. That video is still his pinned tweet on his profile.
GOOD DAY ON ROCKY TOP YESTERDAY ?? ?I swear to dog backwards that imma god backwards… ???#REALGOON #GME @Madhousefit @Rivals @CoachJPruitt @CoachWillFriend @JohnGarcia_Jr @ChadSimmons_ @247Sports @TFootballGeek @Vol_Football pic.twitter.com/6wdNnDDTjN
— James Robinson (@JamesRobinsonn_) June 9, 2019
Robinson is a big blocker with a lot of strength, and he’s able to hold his own with opponents. He also has very good bend, which is key for an offensive lineman because the low man almost always wins. He has a very good first punch and hand placement, often locking on to his opponent. He’s also very athletic and can move extremely well for his size. His footwork is solid. He’s definitely a little raw in areas and will need to trim down, but he’s a bruising lineman who has a lot to like.
Robinson did not announce when he would be committing, but it’s expected it could be later this week when he makes his announcement.
The Vols currently have two offensive linemen committed to them in their 2020 class, and they’re both interior linemen. Four-star in-state center Cooper Mays and three-star guard Javontez Spraggins are Tennessee’s current offensive line commits.
Our Take:
With Auburn already holding commitments from six offensive linemen and with Tennessee having a strong relationship with Robinson, the Vols should feel pretty good about where they stand with the huge Alabama lineman. Texas A&M’s emergence is the only big concern, but otherwise, the Vols should be considered the favorites for Robinson’s commitment.
