Former Jaguars Scout, Assistant Coach and Player Denard Robinson Departs for Michigan
A familiar face in Jacksonville has officially left the building.
A few weeks after the Jaguars lost senior personnel executive Tom Gamble to Jim Harbaugh's staff at the University of Michigan, Jaguars college scouting assistant and former offensive quality control coach and running back Denard Robinson has joined him.
Michigan announced on Thursday that Robinson had joined Harbaugh's staff as assistant director of player personnel, with Gamble formally introduced as Michigan's director of player personnel.
Denard served in his first year as a scout in 2021, being assigned as a college scouting assistant after serving as offensive quality control coach on Doug Marrone's staff in 2020.
"I want to thank Denard for his hard work, dedication and commitment to the Jaguars organization both as a player and as a member of the scouting department," Jaguars general manager Trent Baalke said on Thursday.
"I have no doubt he will do a fantastic job in his new role with his alma mater, and I am excited that he has the opportunity to return to Ann Arbor, where he had an illustrious career, and work with a program that he has already impacted greatly."
"I am so excited about coming back to Michigan. This place means a great deal to me and I look forward to interacting with past, present and future Wolverines in my new role," Robinson said via a Michigan release.
"Coach Harbaugh and I have been talking for almost a year about returning to help the program, and to have it finally come together is a dream come true and fulfills one of my career goals. I love this University and can't wait to get to work."
"He will be a positive addition to our program in both the player personnel and player development areas," Harbaugh said. "Denard has been an active member of this campus and we know he will bring that same enthusiasm and love for Michigan to our building every day. We are excited to have Denard back home at Michigan helping our team."
A fifth-round pick in 2013, Robinson spent four seasons with the Jaguars (2013-2016), rushing for 1,041 yards and five touchdowns. Robinson then spent time in the Alliance of American Football with the Atlanta Legends before the league disbanded.
Denard will be working right under Gamble, who spent a year with the Jaguars front office last season and drew high praise from Baalke for his scouting eye and their working relationship last offseason. With Gamble and Denard now teaming up in Michigan, Jacksonville will have to continue to reshape their front office entering a pivotal offseason.
"I am excited to be working at Michigan again, helping this program in my role of player personnel director," Gamble said via Michigan. "It was an easy decision to make regarding leaving the NFL to come and work with Coach Harbaugh for the third time. Coach is an individual that I thoroughly enjoy working with and I look forward to partnering with Jim and the staff in the acquisition and retention of our players."