Class of 2025 4-star safety Omarion Robinson of Little Rock Parkview said he left his March 4 visit to the University of Arkansas very comfortable with the new members of the defensive staff.
He connected well with co-defensive coordinator Marcus Woodson.
"I got a chance to kick it with Coach Woodson, the new DB coach," Robinson said. "He came from Florida State. He's cool. He and I have a good little bond. Talked to Coach [Sam] Pittman and walked around the facility."
Robinson, 6-1, 185 pounds, has scholarship offers from Arkansas, Alabama, Texas, Ole Miss, Utah, Louisville, TCU, Tennessee, Southern Cal, Auburn, Baylor and others.
He said Woodson, defensive coordinator Travis Williams and secondary coach Deron Wilson focus on life off the field, too.
"We all chopped it up. They cool," Robinson said smiling. "The whole defensive staff. They cool. They're fun to be around. They're good coaches and they're not just building you as a player but trying to build you as a man also.
"It's good they want me to achieve in life, not just on the football field."
Robinson was a key reason why the Patriots won the Class 5A state title last season. He had 63 tackles, 22 pass breakups and 4 interceptions, including one returned for a score, as a sophomore. He also completed 10 of 11 passes for 136 yards and 5 touchdowns, rushed for 139 yards and 1 touchdown, and had 7 catches for 233 yards and 4 touchdowns.
He also had four touchdowns on punt and kickoff returns.
ESPN rates him as a 4-star prospect, the No. 9 safety and No. 109 overall recruit in the nation in the 2025 class. Patriots defensive coordinator Bobby Bolding said Robinson grew as a player last year.
"He's always had the athletic ability to do the things we needed him to do, better than most human beings on the planet," Bolding said. "Last year he was a little undisciplined with his eyes. It got him in trouble. Late in the year, he got better."
Robinson's eye discipline continued this spring with only one lapse happening in Monday's spring scrimmage when he allowed a receiver behind him for a touchdown.
"I showed him a clip of Deion Sanders talking about, 'The only time I got beat is when I looked into the backfield,' and he's taken that to heart to try and fix it," Bolding said. "He's a leader, he works his tail off."
Bolding also said Robinson is very coachable.
"He can take tough coaching which a lot of kids can't take now days," Bolding said. "He can handle it."
The Arkansas staff has an ally in Robinson's mother.
"She wants me to go to Arkansas, so of course she's going to like it up there," Robinson said of his mother. "She loves it every time."
He also said he's keeping an open mind about the recruiting process, but he knows his mother will be pumping up the Hogs.
"She's going to do her talking. She's going to do her part," Robinson said. "She gets up there and gets a bond with the coaches. She likes it up there. The first time she went up there she was like, 'Oh yeah, you need to give it a look.' "
Robinson said he is planning to make a return trip to Fayetteville in June for a football camp.
"I'm planning on going to some camps, Alabama, Ohio State, Oklahoma and Arkansas right now," he said.
Email Richard Davenport at rdavenport@arkansasonline.com
Omarion Robinson highlights
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