Chop Robinson is heading to the NFL, coming off the board in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft on Thursday night.

It was the Miami Dolphins who made the call on Robinson, officially selecting the Penn State star with the No. 21 overall pick in the draft. Robinson becomes the first Nittany Lion player selected in the first round since Jahan Dotson in 2022. The last time a Penn State defender was selected in the first round was 2021 when Micah Parsons and Odafe Oweh were both first-round picks.

Overall, it is the fourth time in the last 5 drafts that a Penn State pass rusher has been selected at any point in the draft. Along with Oweh and Parsons, the Nittany Lions have seen Arnold Ebiketie (2022 second round), Shaka Toney (2021 seventh round), Yetur Gross-Matos (2020 second round) and Shareef Miller (2019 fourth round) drafted.

Robinson entered the 2024 Draft viewed as one of the top pass-rushing defenders in the draft. That top group also included edge rushers like Dallas Turner (Alabama), Laiatu Latu (UCL), and Jared Verse (Florida State), along with Illinois interior defensive lineman Jer’Zhan (Johnny) Newton.

Robinson began his collegiate career at Maryland with 2.5 TFL and 2 sacks as a true freshman before transferring to Penn State. During the 2022 season, he cemented his rise as an NFL Draft prospect with 10 TFL and 5.5 sacks. He battled an injury during the 2023 season before finishing his career with 11.5 total sacks, 20 TFL, and 3 forced fumbles.

While his production score paled a bit to other first-round prospects, he produced an impressive physical showing at the NFL Combine with a 4.48 40-yard dash time to go with explosive numbers in other areas. Now, he’ll get a chance to leave his mark as an impact pass rusher early in his career.