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Bengals interested in one of NFL draft's biggest sleepers
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- Bengals interested in one of NFL draft's biggest sleepers
The Cincinnati Bengals added to their interior defensive front in free agency with the signing of former Minnesota Viking Jonathan Allen . That gives them a stable of Allen, B.J Hill, T.J. Slaton and Kris Jenkins.
The team could still add to that mix via the draft. Could that addition come from one of the service academies? It's certainly possible. Enter Landon Robinson, defensive tackle, Navy.
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Robinson is coming off a very successful season with the Midshipmen, posting 64 total tackles and 6.5 sacks, helping Navy get to 11 wins this past season, including a 17-16 win over Army and a 35-13 win over Cincinnati in the Autozone Liberty Bowl. Robinson has 14.5 total sacks, 18.5 tackles for a loss and 153 total tackles in three seasons at Navy.
Robinson may be flying under the radar a bit as he did not receive an invite to the Scouting Combine, but he did receive an invite to the Shrine Bowl, where he met with the Bengals , and where he felt really good about his performance in front of NFL scouts.
"I think I made a great impression," Robinson told Sports Illustrated's Justin Melo . "I showed I could play at whatever level. I could play with the best of the best from the bigger schools. Coming from the American Conference, it's all Division I."
Robinson is a bit undersized, at least in NFL terms, at 291 pounds. But he made quite the transformation to become a very good defensive tackle. He came to Navy at 220 pounds and as a linebacker. He eventually got himself up to 285.
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"It was a cool experience that transformed my entire football career," Robinson told Melo. "It was big for me to make that transition a successful one. I realized what I needed to do to make that permanent switch.
"I went to my coaches and asked for advice and research on how to be successful at my new position. I went to a nutritionist and asked them for a meal plan to gain the weight needed to play the position. It was a cool experience.
"I followed that plan and stuck to it for an entire summer. It worked out for me. I'm super thankful. The process went smoothly. It was awesome."
Robinson is also a three-time member of Bruce Feldman's annual Freaks List, showing just how athletic he can be. His power and strength can help him overcome his lack of NFL size and make him a viable piece of a potential defensive tackle rotation. He's a Day 3 option for the Bengals, where they have five picks -- Nos. 110, 189, 199, 221 and 226.
This article originally appeared on Bengals Wire: NFL draft: Bengals interested sleeper Landon Robinson
