This Sentell’s Intel rep shares insight into a conversation on Monday morning with freshman cornerback Ellis Robinson. Last cycle, he was ranked as the nation’s No. 2 cornerback prospect.
NEW ORLEANS - Ellis Robinson seemed like the same player Monday morning that we’ve gotten to know over the years covering him as a recruit.
Confident. Shoulders back. Smiling. Standing tall.
The former 5-star cornerback enrolled at Georgia last December as the nation’s No. 2 overall prospect for that class. He’s seen action in four games this season.
He’s eligible for a redshirt this season, but it seems like a moot point for a player with his skill set. Once Robinson earns his way onto the field, he will turn a lot of heads.
The 6-foot freshman was available for interviews during the hour-long Sugar Bowl media day session. He described his mindset as “staying patient” this season.
He didn’t seem frustrated by having to wait his turn to play. When he arrived, the Bulldogs were much deeper at cornerback than other spots in the secondary. There was junior Daylen Everette coming back as a returning starter along with talented corners Daniel Harris and Julian Humphrey in front of Robinson.
Harris had a year on Robinson in the UGA system. He’s also a physical freak with his size, wingspan and great speed. Humphrey also had two years in the program on Robinson. He was also rated as a 5-star by at least one national service coming out of high school in the class of 2022.
The former took over the starting job next to Everette in the last half of the season. Humphrey has hit the portal and committed to Texas A&M back in his home state.
That moves Robinson one step closer to seeing the field. Georgia cornerbacks coach Donte Williams said Robinson benefitted coming into the program from playing just cornerback exclusively in his last two seasons at national power IMG Academy.
Williams felt that Robinson’s daily practice as just a cornerback in high school put him “ahead of the game” compared to others in the transition to SEC football.
“The biggest thing about all of these guys is they continue to get better,” Williams said about all three of the highly-touted freshman cornerbacks in his room.
What has his first year at UGA been like?
“It has been a great experience,” Robinson said. “Just coming in early as an early grad from high school. Getting developed early. Being around the coaches. It has been a great experience overall.”
He came into UGA weighing about 178 pounds. That wasn’t what UGA likes to see in its corners to hold up in the run game. Robinson said he’s now up to 185 pounds heading into the Sugar Bowl.
“I feel like my freshman year has really helped me a lot,” he said. “It helped me develop as a person and a player overall. Just being around guys like Daylen, Malaki (Starks), Dan (Jackson) it is just a great experience overall to learn from those guys.”
The big adjustment so far has been on the mental side, he said.
“Really like just overall just like mental stuff and everything,” he said. “Getting better overall as a player personally.”
It is not unprecedented at UGA. While others have been thrust into a starting role as a freshman, that is not a blanket situation.
Kamari Lassister didn’t start as a freshman but started every game of his sophomore and junior seasons. He’s already shown in his rookie season to be one of the top cornerbacks in the NFL for the Houston Texans.
Harris played only six games during his freshman season in 2022. Everette didn’t start as a freshman.
Eric Stokes Jr. didn’t play at all during his freshman season in 2017. He went on to become a first-round draft pick in 2021.
Robinson said he’s spoken to former Bulldogs about the grind.
“I look at all the other corners that really came out of Georgia really,” he said. “I try to like just talk to them about everything. I feel like they really helped me a lot.”
What has been his favorite moment so far at Georgia?
“I would say just being around the team,” Robinson said. “A lot of the players and everything and just learning from everybody that is here. The older guys really.”
He said he just needs to “just keep working” in order to make the same flight up the depth chart that those guys have done over the years.
That’s the advice he’d give to the next elite cornerback prospect that decides to play for Georgia.
“I’d really just say staying patient,” he said. “Wait your turn because everybody’s time is coming. Really, I’d just say staying patient, really.”
He said it has been a test trying to shadow Arian Smith in practice every day.
“Fast,” he said. “Very fast. Very fast. Good receiver. Very fast overall. I like going against him a lot.”
He said the practice grind has really shown him what it takes to play.
“It helped me a lot just going against our offense and everything every day,” Robinson said. “It is nothing but work. Everybody here comes to Georgia to be competitive, so you know, just coming in here and getting to work with these guys is great. It has been a great experience overall.”
He hasn’t settled in on a major yet but has enjoyed his classes.
During a four-minute conversation with DawgNation, Robinson repeatedly used the phrase “great experience” to describe his true freshman season.
It has meant something to him to put on that red and black helmet and uniform every Saturday.
“It is great,” he said. “I love it. I love putting it on every game that we play.”
Check out the DawgNation conversation with Robinson on Monday below.
SENTELL’S INTEL
(check on the recent reads on Georgia football recruiting)
