Josh Robinson Impressed Leslie Frazier at Vikings Rookie Minicamp

The Minnesota Vikings desperately needed to improve their secondary this off-season. They decided to use two of their first three draft picks on defensive backs, which instantly improved the unit.

Cornerback Josh Robinson was the second DB selected by the Vikings. Robinson of course is the fastest guy in the draft this year, running as low as a 4.29/40 at the combine.

With rookie minicamp, Robinson has begun his journey to be a starting corner in the NFL. Already he’s made some impressions on the Vikings coaching staff, namely with head coach Leslie Frazier.

“Josh caught a punt, and he took off like a guy shot out of a rocket,” Frazier said. “And I thought, ‘Man, that guy has a nice little burst. Let me see who that is,’ and it was Josh Robinson. I said, ‘That’s a good sign.’ That burst, it sticks out.”

Frazier also commented on Robinson’s role with the team:

“Well, that’s what we drafted him for, to play corner,” Frazier said. “We will continue to throw things at him and watch him progress. We want him to compete for a job, not just in the nickel position, but we want him to compete for a starting job and we will see how he does.”

I’m glad to hear Frazier is open to Robinson competing for a starting job. In a secondary like Minnesota’s, I say let the best men win. With several new faces via the draft and free agency, competition for the starting spots should be heated.

Robinson is full of confidence, and certainly knows what he wants to do in the NFL. He left UCF a year early, with the goal of being a shutdown corner in the league.

“My primary motivation was that I could get it done, that I had the ability to be a shutdown corner, one of the best corners to play the game,” Robinson said. “So, that’s something that really motivated me to want to pursue this career and try to accomplish my goals.”

Robinson definitely has the correct attitude if he wants the be one the best corners in the game. He’s also got the talent, considering he’s coming out a year early, from a C-USA school, and was taken in the 3rd round of the NFL draft. From all the draft reports I read, he was considered to be a good “character” guy as well.

Frazier has said the punt return spot is open on the team, and that Robinson is also in the running for that job. With speed like his, I think you have to find any way possible to get him involved in the game.

Can Josh Robinson really be a shutdown corner in the NFL? It’s way too ridiculously early to tell, but I like what I hear so far…

Follow Andrew Fisher on Twitter @the_realfish