After becoming a Dolphins fan favorite in 2024 but flying under the radar nationally, defensive end / linebacker Chop Robinson might be ready for his coming out party in 2025. Seemingly every report from Dolphins camp mentions how dominant Robinson has been in drills, and a starting spot on the edge seems all but locked in for the second-year player out of Penn State. Along with Bradley Chubb and a hopefully healthy Jaelan Phillips, the Fins suddenly have a pretty formidable trio for attacking opposing quarterbacks — and Robinson might lead the charge.
In ESPN's latest report of Dolphins camp, beat writer Marcel Louis-Jacques said that, "Chop Robinson earned the team's orange jersey after an electric practice Monday. It can't be stated enough how good of a camp he's having," referring to the jersey given to the player who had the best practice the day prior.
Robinson posted six sacks and four passes defensed last season and finished fifth in Defensive Rookie of the Year voting. That's about as good of a season as you could hope for a 21 year-old playing one of the more important positions in the sport.
Chop Robinson could be ready to lead Dolphins defense in 2025
Winning over the journalists and coaches is one thing; winning over the other players on the field is another, and Robinson has already accomplished that goal as well.
Fellow edge Jaelan Phillips has already said that Robinson, a second-year pass rusher, would be a future Defensive Player of the Year candidate, and newcomer Willie Gay seemed to corroborate that after Monday's practice, adding he didn't feel like any team in the league had a better front seven than Miami, especially considering the play of its pass rushers. "I don't know who the starters are at the edge position but Chop is the youngest and s--- he's a dog," Gay said.
Future DPOY candidate is a lofty goal, but what seems like an attainable one in the early stages of a career that launched to a quick start and now might rocket even higher into stardom.