ST. LOUIS -- Shipped off by the Atlanta Falcons in a trade before the NFL Draft this spring, St. Louis Rams wide receiver Laurent Robinson feels like he has something to prove every time he steps on the field.
"I have some drive, a little chip on my shoulder to just come out here and make plays,'' Robinson said. "Catch the ball on an consistent basis, and be assignment correct, fundamentally sound and mentally tough.''
Robinson is making a strong bid to be the Rams' starting wide receiver opposite speedster Donnie Avery.
"I see a competitive guy,'' Rams coach Steve Spagnuolo said of Robinson, who was working with the starting offense even before Avery went down with a foot injury early in training camp. "You know when he first got here in the spring, like a lot of guys he was feeling his way through.
"It was a new team, it was a new system, but I thought he played really well last (Friday). It was real easy to see that. He's really competitive."
Robinson has become quarterback Kyle Boller's go-to receiver. Boller and Robinson connected on five passes for 65 yards in the Rams' 20-13 preseason loss to the Falcons on Friday night.
"Laurent is doing a great job,'' Boller said. "He's a guy that I feel comfortable with dropping back and knowing he is going to make a play for me.
"I can trust throwing him the ball. He runs great routes. He's a hard-working guy, a guy who I am glad I'm able to work with right now.''
The Rams acquired Robinson from the Falcons by swapping fifth- and sixth-round picks in the 2009 NFL Draft.
The trade allowed the Falcons to advance 22 spots in the fifth round and 20 spots in the sixth round.
"I was a little shell-shocked,'' Robinson said of learning that he was traded. "I always thought it was going to happen. I even wrote down some teams in case ... and St. Louis was one of them. I was just excited to come back up here and be reunited with Billy Devaney, who was with me in Atlanta my rookie year.''
Devaney, the Rams' general manager, was the Falcons' Senior Personnel Executive when Robinson was drafted in 2006.
"I think he noticed that I had potential in Atlanta,'' Robinson said. "He saw the ability in me and he brought me here. He feels like I can come in here and make plays for his team.''
Robinson played for a Rockledge (Fla.) High School team that won back-to-back Class 3A state championships in 2001 and 2002. He had 55 catches for 903 yards as a senior in 2002, yet his only scholarship offer came from Illinois State University in Normal.
He got that offer because his stepfather telephoned the Redbirds' coaching staff, who had recruited Robinson's brother the previous year, and convinced them to watch some game tape.
Robinson ended up setting school records with 192 career catches and 3,007 career receiving yards for the Redbirds.
He caught 86 passes for 1,465 yards and 12 touchdowns for the Redbirds as a junior in 2005, but he was limited to 40 catches for 718 yards with seven touchdowns as a senior in 2006 because of an ankle injury that caused him to miss four games.
Robinson said he never considered himself as NFL material when he was in college.
"I never really thought I was going to make it to the NFL,'' Robinson said. "I was just playing football, having fun and just doing my job.''
NFL scouts took notice of Robinson after he was clocked at 4.38 seconds in the 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine. He also registered a 39-inch vertical jump.
"Nothing special, but it got me drafted,'' Robinson said of his 40-yard dash time.
The Falcons took Robinson in the third round with the 65th overall pick in the 2007 NFL Draft.
Robinson had a promising rookie year, catching 37 passes for 437 yards.
In 2008, Robinson slipped on the Falcons' depth chart because of the emergence of rookie Harry Douglas and the return of Brian Finnernan from a two-year absence because of knee injuries.
Robinson also was plagued by (head and hamstring) injuries as he played in only six games last season, making only five catches for 52 yards.
The Rams took a shot on Robinson based on Devaney's evaluation of him.
"We were trusting Billy's opinion, and he seems to be right,'' Spagnuolo said. "He's done a nice job for us.''
Robinson said he's happy for the opportunity he's getting with the Rams.
"I got traded into a good situation, and hopefully I can keep coming out here and making plays and show the coaches that I can do it,'' Robinson said.
Rams notes
Defensive end Leonard Little is sidelined on a day-to-day basis with a sprained right knee that he suffered in practice Monday morning. Little sustained the injury during a 9-on-7 run-game drill. He tried to return to action, but then took himself out again.
Contact Steve Korte at skorte@bnd.com or 239-2522.
E-Mail
Print
