Elandon Roberts mentoring a carbon-copy of himself in Mark Robinson
Published August 3rd 3:09 EDT
by Bo Marchionte
Latrobe, PA – Elandon Roberts is 29 years old and in NFL terms it’s “like dog years” joked teammate Mark Robinson. It’s the curse of veteran players that despite being 30-years or younger suffer the wrath of being teased by the younger faces in the locker room.
“That’s ‘Big Hit Tomorrow’,” Robinson references Roberts’ nickname. The OG yes sir. That’s the OG man just turn on the tape. Super Bowl.”
The Super Bowl reference comes from the two titles Roberts won during his time with the New England Patriots. A sixth-round pick in 2016 NFL Draft, Roberts like Robinson (7th Round Pick in 2022) knows the inside track of being a late round prospect and carving out an NFL career.
Mentor and protégé are what you see when No. 50 and No. 93 are in proximity to one another. Roberts is entering his eighth season in the NFL. He has grown in wisdom that only comes from the experience a seasoned vet can acquire.
Robinson is the sponge to soak up everything Roberts wants to share. Entering his second season Robinson has the most tenure on the team at the inside linebacker position but lacks the savvy that comes with being a veteran in the National Football League.
“Team wise but not experience wise,” Robinson said of his tenure. “These guys have been in the league, and I was in middle school. They were already in the league.”
Roberts prides himself on the physicality of the game and his bulldog mentality is tough to identify when speaking with him. His knowledge of the game and leadership qualities are at the forefront of his expertise. However, it’s the tenaciousness that lies within that makes him one vicious competitor.
Ask running back John Lovett about it if you ever get the chance. Roberts lit Lovett up during the backs-on-backers session of practice. Pancaking the second year running back into oblivion. Lovett got another chance to save the day, but unfortunately Roberts’ protégé Robinson was next up in the drill. Déjà vu as Robinson copied the exact stampeding bull rush through Lovett.
Veterans teaching the younger guys the way to play the game is the lifeblood of the league. Coaches coach but when players build up each other is the comradery needed in team building.
“Look, it’s my job to keep elevating and also bring Mark (Robinson) along,” Roberts said. So, he can take this shit over. We got to feed off each other to make this group better.”
That’s the team building aspect of camp and especially at St. Vincent College where the players are in dorms and settle into campus life. Zero distractions. It’s football 24/7 all day and pretty much all night. Roberts and the team’s other inside linebacker free agent signing this spring in Cole Holcomb will be the starters with Robinson waiting in the wings.
Roberts feels the hunger in Robinson which is why they have connected. Two late round picks, Roberts has built a career out of his sixth-round selection and is guiding Robinson to follow in his footsteps. The similarity in their style of play is a perfect example of iron sharpening iron.
Anyone who roams the sidelines will hear ‘Mark Rob’ when Robinson is being communicated to by either players or coaches. I was curious to know if Roberts had a nickname for his protégé in waiting. Roberts laughed a bit and shouted, “Killer. Killer going to kill.”
It was repeated jokingly a couple times as the pair laughed exiting the practice field. It’s a tiny glimpse into the enormous importance of established veterans teaching the next generation how to go about being a professional.
In this case, the old-school style of play is in the curriculum of what Roberts is teaching Robinson.
