Latest intel on Monmouth star QB Derek Robertson ahead of NFL Draft

After the biggest, longest job interview for the highest-stakes job imaginable, the only thing left to do for Monmouth quarterback Derek Robertson is wait.

The quarterback who starred for the Hawks over the past two seasons set himself apart at the Hula Bowl, answered questions at his pro day and met with several NFL teams during the pre-draft process. After a hectic three months, he's enjoying a bit of down time before the climactic finale to the journey this weekend.

The draft begins Thursday with Round 1; Rounds 2-3 will be Friday and Rounds 4-7 will be Saturday. Then teams can also pursue undrafted free agents.

"In the position that I'm in, you have a feeling on what could happen. But at the end of the day, you really don't know until it happens," Robertson said. "You just kind of got to sit back and wait and just trust all the work that you've put in."

Robertson was a once-in-a-generation field general at Monmouth. He joined the Hawks as a transfer from Maine in 2024 and was an immediate sensation, passing for 3,937 yards and 31 touchdowns with just six interceptions in 2024. He was well on his way to exceeding those gaudy numbers in 2025 before injury misfortune derailed his final college season after just seven games. Despite that, he finished eighth in the FCS in passing touchdowns with 27 and was second in the country in passing yards per game at 354.5 (2,482 total) with just five interceptions.

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But in a pro football landscape that has become less considerate of the FCS level, that stroke of bad luck threw a wrench into his bright future. Robertson has done all he can do to get the gears moving again. And the tape within Monmouth's sophisticated offense is enough to entice those who have done their due diligence.

"Luckily at Monmouth with the coaches and the trust they had in me, and trust that they've had in a lot of our players (with) just the way the offensive system is built," Robertson said. "I say to a lot of these coaches; the offense is very QB driven. I was lucky enough to be able to basically control a lot of things at the line of scrimmage, which is what a lot of teams do at the NFL level. So being able to relay that to scouts and coaches, I think it's been very beneficial for me."

He'll have the chance to prove the value of that experience in an NFL rookie camp and in all likelihood, in training camp in the fall. But as far as this weekend, it's up in the air as to whether Robertson will hear his name called in the draft. Here's the latest on the Shore's star signal caller.

The Latest on Robertson

A few of the NFL teams that have expressed considerable interest in Robertson are the Atlanta Falcons , Denver Broncos , Jacksonville Jaguars and New York Jets . He was also part of the local pro days for the Eagles and Giants in addition to the Jets.

To broadly summarize media opinions on Robertson, he is firmly on the radar as a late-round possibility. ESPN took note of him as one of three FCS prospects to know . ESPN analyst Jordan Reid had him as the 383rd-ranked prospect, and the iconic Mel Kiper has him ranked as the 20th quarterback in the draft. Tom Pelissero also took note of Robertson as a priority free agent just beyond 19 "draftable" quarterbacks he reported on.

Overall, this is a good year to be a quarterback in the draft. There are two preeminent prospects at the top in Heisman winner Fernando Mendoza and Alabama standout Ty Simpson . But beyond those two, there are wide-ranging opinions about the hierarchy of quarterbacks in this class.

LSU's Garrett Nussmeier , Penn State's Drew Allar and Miami 's Carson Beck are generally considered to be the only possibilities to go on the second day of the draft (rounds two and three), which conservatively leaves as many as 27 teams theoretically in play to choose a quarterback in the later rounds to add depth.

It's tough to cut through the draft clutter, but NFL teams have been more thorough than the media in terms of evaluating Robertson. Nearly every franchise was represented at Monmouth's pro day in March. A rough estimate from Robertson's camp is that there's about a 30 percent chance he is drafted.

What are Robertson's perceived strengths and weaknesses?

Robertson's showing at the pro day was crucial. He showed up bulked up to 214 pounds while measuring at 6-foot-1.5. More impressively, he was clocked around 4.68 in the 40-yard dash with a 31-inch vertical at the bigger size. That compares very favorably to two of the top quarterbacks in the class that were perceived as having slight frames in Nussmeier (6-1 5/8, 203 pounds) and Simpson (6-1 1/8, 211 pounds).

But with the physical questions answered, his real strength is his intelligence. He even filled in for his brother Jimmy Robertson, Monmouth's offensive coordinator, at practice this spring.

"I've had multiple scouts tell me that he's potentially the smartest player they've ever interviewed of any draft class," Jimmy Robertson said. "You have all those intangibles and then he just keeps answering every question that any scout or organization might have. So I think that's the exciting thing is once he gets into a QB room or whatever team drafts him or signs him, he's going to be a guy they can't get rid of."

The intelligence adds nuance to his tape from Monmouth. There is naturally a big leap in the NFL with faster speed and tighter windows to throw into, but Robertson torched defenses in college because of fast processing as much as natural ability. That trait lends itself to adapting to a faster, harder game at the next level. Still, one of the big questions will understandably be the level of competition he played and whether his production can translate.

Although he doesn't have elite raw arm talent when compared to top-flight NFL prospects in that category, Robertson has more than adequate arm strength that is augmented by his superb mechanics and intelligence. He drives the ball well and functionally has above-average arm strength because of precise timing. There are certain types of rare off-platform throws that are beyond his skillset, but he has elite touch on deep throws that offsets any perceived deficiencies. Furthermore, his intelligence translates into rare instincts that allow him to adapt to make virtually every throw on the field when defensive spacing allows.

Lastly, his intangibles and intelligence stand out amidst a class of quarterbacks that will predominantly be second or third stringers to begin their career. There's value for NFL teams in having cerebral young players that add to the collective intelligence of the room.

"l love football. I love the mental aspect of the game and just learning the game," Robertson said. "So whether I'm fighting for a QB-3 spot or QB-2 spot, whatever it is. I'm just gonna help the team in any way to win games."

How about the long-term outlook after the draft?

Although there's no doubt about the excitement of the draft and fulfilling a lifelong dream, the practical reality is Robertson is in a win-win situation as a late round quarterback prospect.

"I played football my whole life and it's really all I've ever done. And I didn't really know if I would ever get to this point," Robertson said. "To just be at this point is something I'm extremely grateful for. So to get the opportunity to potentially be drafted, it is really cool. But at the end of the day, it's not the be-all, end-all."

While NFL teams are evaluating players through meetings to see who might be worthy of selection, the tables turn a bit after the draft. Priority free agents can look at different situations and find the best possible situation to have professional success.

"As a priority free agent to pick where you go—that's also a great opportunity," Robertson said. "Cause you could look at different systems, look at different quarterback rooms. And if you have multiple opportunities, take one that you think is better for you and better for your future. So there's positives to both."

One template that could be a favorable comparison for Robertson is Chicago Bears quarterback Tyson Bagent . He was a small-school prospect out of Division II Shepherd University with a similar playing style and comparable size (6-foot-3 and 213 pounds). He went undrafted in 2023 and joined the Bears as the team's fourth quarterback. He was thrust into a starting role because of injury and went 2-2 in four starts as a rookie.

Bagent is now the trusted backup to Caleb Williams , signing a two-year extension this past fall. If a quarterback with similar size can make the leap from D-II to the NFL, then Robertson has a very realistic chance of finding a home at the next level. While being drafted would be a momentous achievement, Robertson is focused on maximizing his opportunity regardless of the form it takes.

"Whatever opportunity I get, I'm gonna be grateful for it and I'll be ready for it," Robertson said. "I just wanna get my foot in the door and take care of the rest."

This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: Monmouth QB Derek Robertson NFL Draft: Will he get picked? Will he sign?