Razorbacks relying on Corey Robinson II at left tackle

After the Razorbacks finished their 2024 season, offensive line coach Eric Mateos went hunting for a new left tackle.

It’s not that Fernando Carmona Jr. wasn’t good, but Mateos saw a need. Add in that Carmona wanted to move to the interior, a new left tackle was important for the Razorbacks. They found that in Georgia Tech transfer Corey Robinson II.

What was Mateos looking for, exactly? Someone that was top-notch in pass protection.

“With Corey, it was like, ‘hey, we got to be better in obvious passing-down situations,'” Mateos said Thursday. “Okay, so not a huge issue on 1st-and-10 for us. Not a huge issue on 2nd-and-2 for us. It’s 3rd-and-8 and everybody in the stadium knows it’s a passing down.

“We gotta perform. We gotta perform, and I thought we were way under the mark last season.”

Mateos said Robinson was the highest target on their board, and they got him. The Georgia Tech transfer was outstanding in pass protection, but he wasn’t necessarily the best run blocker.

That didn’t matter.

“The number one priority, let’s go find the best pass-blocking tackle we can get, and we’ll make him right in the run game,” Mateos said. “We feel like our run game culture is really good here. Last year we were first in the SEC in rushing efficiency, so we think the run-game culture that we have in the room was really solid. We say, hey, we’ll take a guy even if he’s below whatever standard, but if he can pass block on third-and-9, that’s going to be who we go after.”

Robinson wants to prove himself in the SEC

Robinson, an Atlanta-area native, started his college career at Kansas and was there for three seasons before he transferred to Georgia Tech last season.

With the Yellowjackets, he made seven starts at left tackle and appeared in 12 games. He posted a 91.2 pass-blocking grade according to Pro Football Focus, which led all Power 4 offensive linemen and ranked fourth in the FBS.

But the ACC isn’t the same level as the SEC, and Robinson said he wanted to prove himself at the highest level of competition he could find.

“I was really excited to be able to come play in the SEC,” Robinson said. “I believe it’s the best conference. I believe the best ball is played here, and I want to be considered one of the best offensive tackles. I think you’ve got to play against the best to be able to say that, and just excited to come out here and play.”

Right now, Robinson is playing at around 310 pounds, and he said he’s gotten a lot stronger in the offseason as well. That size and newfound strength should help him in the run game this season.

“I’d say I’ve gotten a lot stronger now with the staff we have here, with Coach Sowders, and then just working technique with Coach Mateos and Coach Pittman, improving my hand leverage and different things like that in the run game has helped me a lot,” Robinson said.

Robinson and the Razorbacks will head back out for Day 7 of fall camp on Thursday. Be sure to stay tuned to HawgBeat for more coverage of Arkansas football.

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