Alton Robinson has chance to be highest Syracuse NFL Draft pick since at least 2014

As many as four Syracuse Orange football players could hear their names called during this week’s NFL Draft. That alone is a pretty nice change of pace for a program that has only had 12 players selected since 2011, and hasn’t had four players picked in the same draft since 2001.

But even if Syracuse doesn’t have four players picked, there’s one name that will certainly be called between Friday and Saturday: that of Alton Robinson.

We dug into Robinson’s scouting report about two weeks ago, and strong Scouting Combine and Senior Bowl performances seem to put him conversations to be picked somewhere between the second and fourth rounds. He also has the skill set to potentially plug in as an outside linebacker in a 3-4 scheme, which gives him some extra versatility.

Assuming Robinson does go in the third or fourth round, he’d be the first Orange player selected that early since 2014, when Jay Bromley was picked in the third round by the New York Giants. If he winds up in the second round (possible, but not likely right now), he’d be the earliest pick since Justin Pugh went in the first round back in 2013 (also a Giants selection).

If he goes to a team that plays a 4-3 defense, it would mark the second straight year that a Syracuse defensive linemen was picked — following Chris Slayton, who was (you guessed it) a Giants pick, in the seventh round. But if he goes to a 3-4 team that plays him at linebacker, he’d make for the second in three years after Zaire Franklin was a Colts’ seventh-rounder in 2018. SU hasn’t had an edge rusher selected since 2012, but that turned out pretty well for everyone in the form of perennial All-Pro Chandler Jones.

Where do you think Robinson gets picked? Do you think any of the other potential Orange draftees could hear their name called as early as Friday? Share your own hot draft takes below.