Cincinnati Bengals select Brad Robbins in 6th round of 2023 NFL Draft
The Cincinnati Bengals selected Michigan punter Brad Robbins with the No. 217 pick in the 6th round of the 2023 NFL Draft.
Robbins played five seasons with the Wolverines, but played just six games in 2019 and ‘20 combined. Over the course of 43 career games, Robbins punted 179 times for 7,698 yards and a 43 yards per punt average.
Robbins received NFL Draft buzz due to his invite to the NFL Scouting Combine. He was one of nine Wolverines’ players invited.
Robbins was the No. 10 specialist according to ESPN’s Mel Kiper. There were four punters drafted in 2022 and four back in 2018.
It’s not a big draftable position, but Robbins made a case while in college, particularly in his later years with Michigan.
As a member of the Class of 2017, Robbins was a three-star recruit out of Westerville (Ohio) South, according to the On3 Industry Ranking, a weighted average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies. He was the No. 77 overall prospect in the state, the No. 8 punter in the class and the No. 2,075 overall prospect.
What NFL Draft analysts are saying about Brad Robbins
NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein broke down the film of Robbins after his career at Michigan.
“Finesse punter who will be much better at pinning opponents near their own end zone than bailing his team out with power,” Zierlein wrote. “He punts with much better hang-time than we are used to seeing from college punters and landed nearly half of his punts inside the 20-yard line in 2022.”
Zierlein’s strengths for Robbins: “Punts with above-average hang-time; Allows very few return attempts; Solid in executing directional punts; Displayed good touch with no touchbacks in 2022.”
Zierlein’s weaknesses for Robbins: “Inconsistent driving the ball in the open field; Touch-to-toe time is a little slow; Had punt blocked and returned for a touchdown against Rutgers.”