Laurent Robinson
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Laurent Robinson (born May 20, 1985) is a former
American football American football (referred to simply as football in the United States and Canada), also known as gridiron, is a team sport played by two teams of eleven players on a rectangular field with goalposts at each end. The offense, the team wi ...
wide receiver in the
National Football League The National Football League (NFL) is a professional American football league that consists of 32 teams, divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National Football Conference (NFC). The NFL is one of the ...
for the Atlanta Falcons,
St. Louis Rams The St. Louis Rams were a professional American football team of the National Football League (NFL). They played in St. Louis from 1995 to the 2015 season, before moving back to Los Angeles, where the team had played from 1946 to 1994. The arr ...
,
Dallas Cowboys The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football team based in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex. The Cowboys compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) East divi ...
and
Jacksonville Jaguars The Jacksonville Jaguars are a professional American football team based in Jacksonville, Florida. The Jaguars compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference (AFC) South division. The team pla ...
. He was drafted by the Atlanta Falcons in the third round of the 2007 NFL Draft. He played college football at
Illinois State Illinois State University (ISU) is a public university in Normal, Illinois. Founded in 1857 as Illinois State Normal University, it is the oldest public university in Illinois. The university emphasizes teaching and is recognized as one of th ...
.


Early years

Robinson attended Rockledge High School in
Rockledge, Florida Rockledge is the oldest city in Brevard County, Florida. The city's population was 24,926 at the 2010 United States Census, and is part of the Palm Bay−Melbourne− Titusville Metropolitan Statistical Area. History Rockledge was officially ...
. As a junior, he became a regular starter with the football team, recording 6 catches for 70 yards and one
touchdown A touchdown (abbreviated as TD) is a scoring play in gridiron football. Whether running, passing, returning a kickoff or punt, or recovering a turnover, a team scores a touchdown by advancing the ball into the opponent's end zone. In Amer ...
. He also practiced
basketball Basketball is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players each, opposing one another on a rectangular court, compete with the primary objective of shooting a basketball (approximately in diameter) through the defender's h ...
and track. As a senior, he caught 55 passes for 903 yards and 11
touchdown A touchdown (abbreviated as TD) is a scoring play in gridiron football. Whether running, passing, returning a kickoff or punt, or recovering a turnover, a team scores a touchdown by advancing the ball into the opponent's end zone. In Amer ...
s, while helping his team win back-to-back Class 3A Florida State championships in 2001 and 2002, with identical 14-1 records. He was named honorable-mention All-State, All-Space Coast and All-Conference. Robinson was a four-year member of the football,
basketball Basketball is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players each, opposing one another on a rectangular court, compete with the primary objective of shooting a basketball (approximately in diameter) through the defender's h ...
and track teams. He received a scholarship to attend
Illinois State University Illinois State University (ISU) is a public university in Normal, Illinois. Founded in 1857 as Illinois State Normal University, it is the oldest public university in Illinois. The university emphasizes teaching and is recognized as one of th ...
, after his stepfather contacted the Redbirds' coaching staff; as his brother had also been recruited there a year before.


College career

As a freshman at
Division I-AA The NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS), formerly known as Division I-AA, is the second-highest level of college football in the United States, after the Football Bowl Subdivision. Sponsored by the National Collegiate Athleti ...
Illinois State University Illinois State University (ISU) is a public university in Normal, Illinois. Founded in 1857 as Illinois State Normal University, it is the oldest public university in Illinois. The university emphasizes teaching and is recognized as one of th ...
, he appeared in all 12 games with 6 starts, including the final 5 games. He ranked second on the team with 19 receptions for 260 yards (13.7-yard avg.) and 3 receiving touchdowns (tied the school freshman record). As a sophomore in 2004, he started in all 11 games, leading the team with 44 receptions for 564 yards (12.0-yard avg.) and 7
touchdown A touchdown (abbreviated as TD) is a scoring play in gridiron football. Whether running, passing, returning a kickoff or punt, or recovering a turnover, a team scores a touchdown by advancing the ball into the opponent's end zone. In Amer ...
s. He had his first career 100-yard receiving game in the season opener against
Saint Xavier University Saint Xavier University (or SXU) is a private Roman Catholic university in Chicago, Illinois. Founded in 1846 by the Sisters of Mercy, the university enrolls 3,749 students. History Saint Xavier University was founded as a women's college by ...
. As a junior in 2005, he was named the league's Offensive Player of the Year and a consensus All-American, after setting school single-season records with 86 receptions for 1,465 yards, a 17.0 yard average for 12
touchdown A touchdown (abbreviated as TD) is a scoring play in gridiron football. Whether running, passing, returning a kickoff or punt, or recovering a turnover, a team scores a touchdown by advancing the ball into the opponent's end zone. In Amer ...
s (second in school history). He led the Division I-AA in receiving yards per game (133.18) and was second nationally with 7.82 receptions per game. He was also a finalist for the
Walter Payton Award The Walter Payton Award is awarded annually to the most outstanding offensive player in the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision (formerly Division I-AA) of college football as chosen by a nationwide panel of media and college sports ...
, given to the top offensive player in
Division I-AA The NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS), formerly known as Division I-AA, is the second-highest level of college football in the United States, after the Football Bowl Subdivision. Sponsored by the National Collegiate Athleti ...
. As a senior in 2006, he started 9 games and missed 4 contests with an ankle injury. He ranked second on the team with 40 catches for 718 yards and 7
touchdown A touchdown (abbreviated as TD) is a scoring play in gridiron football. Whether running, passing, returning a kickoff or punt, or recovering a turnover, a team scores a touchdown by advancing the ball into the opponent's end zone. In Amer ...
s. In the season opener against Kansas State University, he had 9 receptions for 77 yards and 2 touchdowns, before suffering an illegal block on a fourth quarter kickoff return, that sidelined him with an ankle sprain for 2 games. He recovered to catch 6 passes for 159 yards and 2 touchdowns against Murray State University. In the fifth game against
Southern Illinois University Southern Illinois University is a system of public universities in the southern region of the U.S. state of Illinois. Its headquarters is in Carbondale, Illinois. Board of trustees The university is governed by the nine member SIU Board of Tr ...
, he re-injured his ankle and was forced to miss the next two contests. Robinson finished his college career with 37 starts out of 43 games, making 192 receptions (a school record) for 3,007 yards (a school record) and 29 receiving
touchdown A touchdown (abbreviated as TD) is a scoring play in gridiron football. Whether running, passing, returning a kickoff or punt, or recovering a turnover, a team scores a touchdown by advancing the ball into the opponent's end zone. In Amer ...
s. In 2009, he was voted to the
Missouri Valley Football Conference The Missouri Valley Football Conference (MVFC), formerly the Gateway Football Conference, is a collegiate athletic conference which operates in the Midwestern United States. It participates in the NCAA's Division I Football Championship Subdivi ...
quarter-century team. In 2015, he was inducted into the Illinois State Athletics Hall of Fame.


Professional career


2007 NFL Draft

After running the 40-yard dash in 4.41 seconds at the
NFL Combine The NFL Scouting Combine is a week-long showcase occurring every February at Lucas Oil Stadium (and formerly at the RCA Dome until 2008) in Indianapolis, where college football players perform physical and mental tests in front of National Foo ...
, he was selected by the Atlanta Falcons in the third round (75th overall) of the 2007 NFL Draft.


Atlanta Falcons

As a rookie, he played in 15 games (six starts) and recorded 37 receptions for 437 yards (11.8 avg.) and one
touchdown A touchdown (abbreviated as TD) is a scoring play in gridiron football. Whether running, passing, returning a kickoff or punt, or recovering a turnover, a team scores a touchdown by advancing the ball into the opponent's end zone. In Amer ...
. In
2008 File:2008 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: Lehman Brothers went bankrupt following the Subprime mortgage crisis; Cyclone Nargis killed more than 138,000 in Myanmar; A scene from the opening ceremony of the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing; ...
, rookie
Harry Douglas Harry Douglas IV (born September 16, 1984) is a former American football wide receiver who played in the National Football League (NFL) for ten seasons. He played college football at Louisville. Douglas was drafted by the Atlanta Falcons in ...
and the return of
Brian Finneran Brian Joseph Finneran (born January 31, 1976) is a former American football wide receiver in the National Football League. He was signed by the Seattle Seahawks as an undrafted free agent in 1998 and also played for the Barcelona Dragons, Phila ...
from a two-year absence, led to Robinson falling on the depth chart. That season, he played in only six games because of head and hamstring injuries, making 5 receptions for 52 yards.


St. Louis Rams

On April 7, 2009 the Falcons traded Robinson and its fifth round (160th overall) and sixth round (196th overall) draft choices to the
St. Louis Rams The St. Louis Rams were a professional American football team of the National Football League (NFL). They played in St. Louis from 1995 to the 2015 season, before moving back to Los Angeles, where the team had played from 1946 to 1994. The arr ...
, in exchange for their fifth round (138th overall) and sixth round (176th overall) selections. Robinson became a starter until he fractured his fibula on September 28, 2009 and was placed on injured reserve for the remainder of the season. At the time, he was leading the team in receptions with 13 for 167 yards. In 2010, he had another dismissive season, he appeared in 14 games (11 starts), finishing fifth on the team with 34 receptions for 344 yards and 2
touchdown A touchdown (abbreviated as TD) is a scoring play in gridiron football. Whether running, passing, returning a kickoff or punt, or recovering a turnover, a team scores a touchdown by advancing the ball into the opponent's end zone. In Amer ...
s. He became an
unrestricted free agent In professional sports, a free agent is a player who is eligible to sign with other clubs or franchises; i.e., not under contract to any specific team. The term is also used in reference to a player who is under contract at present but who is ...
and wasn't re-signed after the season.


San Diego Chargers

On August 3, 2011, he signed as a
free agent In professional sports, a free agent is a player who is eligible to sign with other clubs or franchises; i.e., not under contract to any specific team. The term is also used in reference to a player who is under contract at present but who is a ...
with the San Diego Chargers. He had a disappointing preseason in which he had only 1 catch for 18 yards through the first three preseason games. Despite an impressive final preseason game in which he caught six passes for 120 yards, he was released at the end of training camp on September 3, 2011.


Dallas Cowboys

On September 7, 2011, he was signed by the
Dallas Cowboys The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football team based in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex. The Cowboys compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) East divi ...
, who scouted him during the joint practices they had with the San Diego Chargers in training camp. He was released on September 13, after suffering a hamstring injury during his first practice. On September 20, he was re-signed to the roster as insurance to shore up an inexperienced wide receiver roster. Robinson would end up having a breakout season and quickly earning the third receiver job. On October 2, he caught seven passes for 116 yards in a loss to the Detroit Lions. During the week eight loss against the
Philadelphia Eagles The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia. The Eagles compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) East division. The team play ...
, he had five catches for 103 yards and a
touchdown A touchdown (abbreviated as TD) is a scoring play in gridiron football. Whether running, passing, returning a kickoff or punt, or recovering a turnover, a team scores a touchdown by advancing the ball into the opponent's end zone. In Amer ...
, his first as a Cowboy. In the next game on November 6, Robinson again caught five passes for 32 yards and a
touchdown A touchdown (abbreviated as TD) is a scoring play in gridiron football. Whether running, passing, returning a kickoff or punt, or recovering a turnover, a team scores a touchdown by advancing the ball into the opponent's end zone. In Amer ...
. Robinson followed up that game with three catches, two of which were
touchdown A touchdown (abbreviated as TD) is a scoring play in gridiron football. Whether running, passing, returning a kickoff or punt, or recovering a turnover, a team scores a touchdown by advancing the ball into the opponent's end zone. In Amer ...
s, against the Buffalo Bills starting in place of Miles Austin, while he was recovering from a hamstring injury. From week 8 through week 12, Laurent caught 24 passes for a total of 321 yards and 7 touchdowns. Robinson played a key role in the offense and registered career highs with 54 receptions for 858 receiving yards and a team leading 11
touchdown A touchdown (abbreviated as TD) is a scoring play in gridiron football. Whether running, passing, returning a kickoff or punt, or recovering a turnover, a team scores a touchdown by advancing the ball into the opponent's end zone. In Amer ...
s. Having a one-year contract with the Cowboys, he became an
unrestricted free agent In professional sports, a free agent is a player who is eligible to sign with other clubs or franchises; i.e., not under contract to any specific team. The term is also used in reference to a player who is under contract at present but who is ...
at the conclusion of the season.


Jacksonville Jaguars

On March 14,
2012 File:2012 Events Collage V3.png, From left, clockwise: The passenger cruise ship Costa Concordia lies capsized after the Costa Concordia disaster; Damage to Casino Pier in Seaside Heights, New Jersey as a result of Hurricane Sandy; People gat ...
, he signed a five-year, $32.5 million contract with the
Jacksonville Jaguars The Jacksonville Jaguars are a professional American football team based in Jacksonville, Florida. The Jaguars compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference (AFC) South division. The team pla ...
, in which 14 million was guaranteed. Although he was expected to be the team's number one receiver, he failed to impress and missed 9 games, after suffering 4 concussions and being placed on the
injured reserve list The injured reserve list ( IR list) is a designation used in North American professional sports leagues for athletes who suffer injuries and become unable to play. The exact name of the list varies by league; it is known as "injured reserve" in th ...
on November 21. The first concussion happened in training camp, when he landed on a small strip of concrete pavers near the practice field. Robinson was later seen as a health risk and was released on March 13,
2013 File:2013 Events Collage V2.png, From left, clockwise: Edward Snowden becomes internationally famous for leaking classified NSA wiretapping information; Typhoon Haiyan kills over 6,000 in the Philippines and Southeast Asia; The Dhaka garment fa ...
.


Notes


External links


Official WebsiteIllinois State Hall of Fame bio
{{DEFAULTSORT:Robinson, Laurent 1985 births Living people Players of American football from Washington (state) American football wide receivers Illinois State Redbirds football players Atlanta Falcons players St. Louis Rams players People from Fort Lewis, Washington Dallas Cowboys players Jacksonville Jaguars players Players of American football from Florida People from Rockledge, Florida