Penn State junior wide receiver Allen Robinson will bypass his senior season and turn pro, the school announced Thursday.
Robinson (6-foot-3, 210 pounds) led the Big Ten in receptions and receiving yardage in each of the past two seasons. He had 174 receptions and 2,445 receiving yards in that span under since-departed coach Bill O'Brien.
"He is a very productive player with a polished overall game," NFL Media draft analyst Bucky Brooks said. "Although he isn't a blazer, Robinson is a crafty route runner with a knack for getting open on double moves and subtle head fakes. He catches the ball well, but has been prone to drops because of concentration lapses. It's not a major issue, but it shows up on tape.
"Overall, Robinson is a really good player with the potential to fill a key role as a No. 2 or No. 3 receiver on a team with an established playmaker in the passing game."
Robinson is second in school history in career receptions (177, two behind leader Deon Butler) and third in career yards (2,479; Bobby Engram leads with 3,026), and that's with catching just three passes for 29 yards as a true freshman in 2011. He had eight 100-yard games this season, another single-season school record; he also had 10 games this season with at least seven receptions.
Robinson has a good size/speed mix, and has proven to be effective as a deep threat and also on wide receiver screens. Cfbstats.com shows that he had 10 receptions of at least 40 yards, a figure that led the nation; that's two more than Oregon State's Brandin Cooks, Texas A&M's Mike Evans and Clemson's Sammy Watkins. Cooks and Evans also announced plans to turn pro Thursday, while Watkins seems likely to do so after Friday's Orange Bowl.
"It was a great honor to play at Penn State," Robinson said in a release from the school. "I am blessed to have played with, and for, the people in the Penn State football program. This is a decision that I believe is best for my family and I, and I wish all the best to the University and all my teammates."
This season, Robinson led the Big Ten -- and set Penn State single-season records -- in receptions (97) and receiving yardage (1,432). He is third nationally in yardage but seems destined to finish fourth; he currently is just 3 yards ahead of Ball State's Willie Snead, who plays in the GoDaddy.com Bowl on Sunday.
Mike Huguenin can be reached at mike.huguenin@nfl.com. You also can follow him on Twitter @MikeHuguenin.
