Cornerback Ramzee Robinson was a seventh-round pick of the Detroit Lions in 2007 out of Alabama. However, he wasn't just any seventh-round pick. He was the final pick of that year's draft.
Robinson was Mr. Irrelevant. It's an "honor" that has been celebrated since 1976. Mr. Irrelevant spends a week in Newport Beach, Cal. where he is treated like a celebrity and awarded a Lowsman Trophy, instead of the Heisman.
Unlike many Mr. Irrelevants before him, Robinson made the Lions in 2007 and played in 17 games over the past two seasons registering 11 tackles, one pass knockdown and 25 special teams tackles. With a new coaching regime in place this season, the Lions released Robinson during the final roster cutdown in September. The Eagles signed Robinson on Wednesday as Ellis Hobbs was placed on injured reserve due to a neck injury that will require surgery.
Robinson believes that the experience of being Mr. Irrelevant helped him mature a lot faster.
"For me, it put the whole game in perspective. It taught me to respect the game," Robinson said. "Even my time away right now just gave me an opportunity to really look at the NFL and understand that it is a gift. It is a blessing to have an opportunity to play in this league. You definitely can't take it for granted."
Robinson has spent the past two-plus months working out in anticipation that a team would call. Teams told Robinson that he was on their short list, but the Eagles provided the first tryout.
"That was the most difficult thing. Waking up each day, not knowing what's going to happen that week. If I didn't hear anything Monday or Tuesday, I knew I was home for another week," Robinson said. "You have to believe and just trust the advice that's given by those that know me and the situation."
The time away from the game, however, provided another important life lesson. That family comes before work.
"I had an opportunity to get closer to my family," Robinson said. "It's something I didn't do as much as when I was first drafted into the NFL. For my life, it was definitely a blessing and something that I had to learn."
That doesn't mean football isn't high on his priority list.
"I love to tackle. I love to hit. I just have a passion for the game. I really love the game of football. I take my job very seriously. I'm the guy that goes out and plays with his heart exposed." Robinson said. "It's just my mentality. I don't believe in taking plays off. I don't believe in finding the easy way out of things."
It's unfair to expect Robinson to walk in and replace someone with Hobbs' experience. Robinson wants to find a way to be relevant on this team any way he can.
"All I want to do is come in and contribute any way possible obviously starting with special teams and working my way into the defense," Robinson said. "It's going to take some time to learn the defense and do my homework. My focus right now is to control things that I can control and just try to help this team the best way I can."
-- Posted by Chris McPherson, 1:52 p.m., November 11
