2025 NFL Draft Prospect Interview: Ethan Robinson, DB, University of Minnesota

• Name: Ethan Robinson
• Position: DB
• College: University of Minnesota
• Height: 5′ 11″
• Weight: 191 lbs
• X (Twitter): @Ethan_2Rob
• Instagram: @ethan2r_

What made you decide you wanted to be a football player?

As a kid I would always watch college football on tv and I was infatuated with the game. When I was 4 years old I went to a youth game for one of our family friends and that’s when I decided to really start playing.

What are your favorite moments from your football life?

I have been playing football for about 16 years now and have made so many great memories. If I had to pick my top 3 moments they would have to be:

1. Committing to a D1 school out of HS.

2. Our win at home vs ranked USC and having the crowd storm the field.

3. Making the All-Big Ten list in just a couple months after leaving the FCS level.

What are you looking to achieve as a football player going forward?

Going forward I am looking to play in the NFL as long as possible and become one of the best at my position to ever do it. I’ve always played the game to be the best and considered one of the best and, God willing, I will be able to continue that in the NFL

If you could hang out with any football player past or present for a day, who and why?

If I could hang out with any football player past or present, I would probably choose Deion Sanders. I was always intrigued by his ability to market himself especially in an era with no social media. I would love to just sit down and pick his brain about different things that went on during his career and just some advice for myself going forward.

Which one of your family members inspires you the most and why?

The family member that inspires me the most is my dad for sure. My dad has done a lot of different things in life and he’s able to teach me and my brother through that lens. His ability to support me, my brother, and my mom is something I look up to and admire. He has also coached me for a large majority of my life so a lot of who I am today is from him and his teachings.

What is your favorite defensive scheme and why?

My favorite defensive scheme would have to be the simulated pressures. There is so much you can do defensively with different fronts and looks in the back end to confuse QBs and it allows the secondary to make a lot of plays on the ball from capitalizing off of the different rushes.

What should we know about Ethan Robinson the person?

I am one of the most competitive and hardworking people there is. I don’t like to lose and I hate when people think they are better than me. So I work everyday to make sure I’m one of, if not, the best at whatever it is I am doing. That can be anything from playing spades to bowling to playing football.

What stands out about your film the most?

The two things I feel like stand out the most about my film is my ability to play the ball in the air and generate havoc that way, and my ability to tackle. I feel as though I add to the run game as well and I am not afraid to stick my nose in the fan when it comes to fitting different gaps in the run and I feel my film shows that.

How do you handle challenges both in life and on the football field?

When challenges do arise on and off the field I tend to handle them by first taking a step back and analyzing the situation. I talk to people I trust to give good advice. Then I attack the challenge. Hard work, dedication, and determination is a trio that is hard to beat so I try to take that mindset with me into every challenging situation I may face.

What would a team get in a player like you?

Any team that chooses to take me is going to get someone who approaches the game with passion, hard work, and a business-like mindset. They’ll be getting a confident player who is also self-aware that there is always room to improve and who chooses to do the work necessary to get better. And lastly, they will get someone who hates to lose and wants to win everything he can.

What do you love the most about the game of football?

The thing I love the most about the game of football is the unity it has and the life lessons it can teach you. The fact that a game we play as children can bring together different people from all different walks of life and make them into a brotherhood is truly special. I truly believe there is nothing that can prepare you for the real world and life like the game of football. You learn how to get hit and get back up repeatedly. You learn the importance of hard work and teamwork. You even learn the importance of being confident in yourself and your abilities.

Who is the most underrated player you’ve played with and why?

The most underrated player I’ve played with is probably Jack Henderson at Minnesota. Jack put together two back-to-back great seasons but a lot of the stuff he did for our defense and our team doesn’t get put in the stat sheet. For example, his ability to get down into the box as a nickel and set firm edges allowed our corners and safeties to hit the alley and make plays in the backfield all season. Without Jack those plays honestly may get extended or become gains but his contribution, even though it’s not a stat, is huge. He played a big role for our team and did the dirty work that sometimes went unnoticed.