NFL Draft

Dorian Thompson-Robinson: College Football’s forgotten star

Is the UCLA quarterback the next big riser for the NFL Draft?

Justin Powell

Dorian Thompson-Robinson: College Football’s forgotten star
Dorian Thompson-Robinson: College Football’s forgotten star /

The collegiate record of Dorian Thompson-Robinsons is currently 10-21 paints him in a far darker light than he deserves. He joined UCLA when it was one of the worst situations for any quarterback to come into, regardless of their pedigree. Thompson-Robinson came into UCLA with expectations of being a program savior. Quite a heavy burden for a prospect that didn’t even start until his senior year in high school.

Going into his fourth year, Thompson-Robinson will have his best chance to make his mark on college football. UCLA returns 20 of 22 starters from last season, and they will go as far as their quarterback can carry them. Over three seasons, his completion percentage climbed from 57% to 67%, with a touchdown to interception ratio of 12:4 in 2020. Despite his progress, Thompson-Robinson is an afterthought in the PAC-12 compared to USC’s Kedon Slovis or Arizona State’s Jayden Daniels.

Humble beginnings in High School

Early in high school, Dorian Thompson-Robinsons learned the importance of being patient when things aren’t to plan. As a freshman at Bishop Gorman High in Las Vegas, he watched as sophomore quarterback Tate Martell put together one of the best prep careers of all time. There were times that Thompson-Robinson considered transferring, but he ultimately decided to wait for his opportunity. In the meantime, he mainly played in mop-up time and even spent some time at wide receiver.

When he finally took over the reins at Bishop Gorman, he had 48 passes and only threw for more than 100 yards once in a game. The lack of experience works against most players, but after training with division one prospects at Bishop Gorman, Thompson-Robinson came prepared for his moment. His most significant endorsement came from his former high school head coach Tony Sanchez. Now the head coach at UNLV, Sanchez offered Thompson-Robinson a scholarship almost immediately after taking the position.

High school star to program savior

As soon as Thompson-Robinson stepped onto campus, there was a definite buzz about the Las Vegas prep star. UCLA brought in former Oregon Ducks and Philadelphia Eagles head coach Chip Kelly to revitalize a struggling program. It appeared to be a match made in heaven as Thompson-Robinson fit Kelly’s fast-paced read-option offense. Once again, like high school, Thompson-Robinson had to wait for his turn behind Michigan transfer Wilton Speight.

It didn’t take Thompson-Robinson long to make his impact for UCLA, playing in 10 games as a true freshman. Although he struggled with decision-making, he put together a decent season throwing for 1,311 yards and seven touchdowns. Finishing the season with only three wins caused some supporters to lose faith. They saw a quarterback that, despite his raw talent, still struggled with the basics of the position.

There was no question Dorian Thompson-Robinsons would be the starter and he wholly dedicated himself to the craft for the next two seasons at UCLA. In 2019, he totaled 2,899 yards of offense and 25 touchdowns, ranking tenth-most for a UCLA player in one season. Against Washington State, Thompson-Robinson led the Bruins to a legendary 67-63 comeback victory. His 564 total yards against the Cougars was a UCLA record for a single game.

The 2020 Bruins played six games during an abridged season due to complications from the COVID-19 pandemic. Thompson-Robinson missed two games himself after being exposed to teammates that tested positive. He garnered second-team All PAC-12 honors and announced that he would return for his senior season.

Substantial buzz has been building in draft circles about Thompson-Robinson as of late. Scouts are taking notice of his significant improvement in skill despite program success. He’s proven himself to be a student of the game and a player more interested in his faults. Seen more of a fringe first-round talent right now, but he could be the top of the class with another solid season. Look for UCLA to challenge USC and Oregon for the PAC-12 title and possibly a spot in the College Football Playoffs.

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Justin Powell
JUSTIN POWELL

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