Colorado State football commit brings big-play ability
LAS VEGAS (BVM) – Speed kills, and Gerick Robinson has plenty of it.
The Centennial High School senior, who also runs track for the Bulldogs, has used his wheels to make a major impact on the football field from multiple positions.
“Coaches love speed and that’s what I believe I bring to the table,” Robinson said.
The speedy receiver was a difficult cover for opponents due to his ability to get in and out of breaks, find open voids in the defense and fly after the catch. Robinson used this formula to catch 59 passes for 968 yards and nine touchdowns as a junior. His versatility allowed him to take occasional snaps at free safety, too, where he came up with 12 total tackles and three pass breakups.
But perhaps Robinson’s largest contribution comes on special teams where he is a lethal kick and punt returner. The 5-foot-11 speedster racked up nearly 350 all-purpose return yards with longs of 90 yards (punt return) and 88 yards (kick return).
“I really focus on my kick return ability because no one really understands how important it is to get that great field position and everything like that,” Robinson said.
Robinson’s knack for creating big plays in the return game stems in part from a former Centennial Bulldog.
Savon Scarver is a senior wide receiver at Utah State who has become one of the deadliest kick returners in NCAA history. A consensus All-American in 2018, Scarver’s six career kickoff return touchdowns (100, 100, 100, 99, 96, 94) are a school record and tied for the second-most in NCAA history.
Scarver is just one kick return touchdown away from tying the NCAA record (7), and a mentor to Robinson’s game.
“That’s really where I got it from because he’s (Scarver) really like an idol to me on the kick return part,” Robinson said. “We’re really good friends, he went to Centennial and mentors me a bit on kick return. That man (Scarver) is ridiculous and that’s where I try to learn my kick return from.”
Just like Scarver, Robinson will have the opportunity to make big plays for a Division I school in the near future.
Ranked a three-star recruit and the No. 18 player in the state of Nevada by 247Sports, Robinson received interest from Boise State, Oklahoma, Oregon and others. But Colorado State was the very first school to offer Robinson, and it’ll be where he begins his collegiate journey.
CSU’s journalism program was a big pull for Robinson, and so was a coaching staff that felt like home.
“They (CSU coaching staff) just gave me a home feeling,” Robinson said. “How I would talk to my parents is how I would talk to them. I would really love to play for them and that’s what I want to do.
“I just waited patiently, watched everybody get theirs and I was happy for them. But once I got mine, it was time to go.”
Robinson’s next football chapter will likely see him say goodbye to the days of playing defensive back, and center his focus to when the ball is in his hands. Tunnel screens and quick-hitters to let Robinson fly will be a large part of Robinson’s role at wide receiver early on.
Eventually, Robinson plans to follow in the footsteps of guys like Michael Gallup, Preston Williams and Rashard Higgins who went from CSU to the NFL. But before then, Robinson has goals to fulfill.
“With this great class that we have of 23 to 24 guys, we’re going up there looking to win a Mountain West championship,” Robinson said.
