Kentucky offers scholarship to Alcoa's Robinson

Part of Americana, the refrigerator door has long served as a marquis for A-plus essays and aced math quizzes.

Tyler Robinson's, however, is a bulletin board for a document of different ilk - his first football scholarship offer.

"It's up on the refrigerator right now," said the Alcoa High School tight end/defensive lineman. "It might not be a big deal to some people, but our family sure was happy for it."

The 6-foot-4, 250-pound Robinson received an offer from the University of Kentucky last week.

Quarterbacks coach and recruiting coordinator Randy Sanders, a former University of Tennessee offensive coordinator, has been keeping tabs on Robinson.

The offer is the first of many expected to come Robinson's way.

"It's like I told him the other day, 'That's like winning the $100,000 or $150,000 lottery,'" said Alcoa coach Gary Rankin. "I'm pretty sure there's going to be more to follow. (Kentucky) just happened to be the first."

Robinson said Sanders promised him a shot a tight end.

If he joins the Wildcats, he'll reunite with former Alcoa quarterback Randall Cobb and wide receiver Kyrus Lanxter. That would be an added bonus, Robinson said.

"Randall's gone through it all. He knows how to do it, and he knows the playbook. He's a quarterback and everything. Definitely, he'd be the first person I could go to. We're already friends off the football field."

Robinson raised eyebrows as a sophomore when he had 477 yards receiving and seven touchdowns.

He also made 66 tackles, seven sacks and was named the Blue Cross Bowl's defensive MVP when Alcoa won its fourth consecutive Class 2A title.

His recruiting stock soared this past season, when he won Class 2A's Mr. Football lineman award en route to leading Alcoa to a fifth title in a row.

He caught 39 passes for 565 yards and 17 touchdowns and made 93 tackles and 10 sacks.

Rankin said he expects many college coaches to visit school grounds after the Tornadoes begin spring practice May 5.

Some already have stopped by, despite Robinson being in baseball season.

"Memphis' and Vanderbilt's coaches came by the school last week," said Robinson. "I saw them in the hallway and said, 'Hello.'

"Then, (Tennessee), Kentucky, Georgia said they were going to come by (spring practice).

"I talked to (former Tennessee defensive coordinator) Coach (John) Chavis from LSU. He said he'll be seeing me soon. Coach Rankin said (Chavis) will come by if he gets the chance. MTSU said they were coming by. It's exciting."

Still early in his recruiting timeline, Robinson doesn't have a preference as to which region of the country he will call his collegiate home.

"It's just whatever feels best at the time," he said. "If it's far away, it's far away. If it's close to home, it's close to home. We'll just have to see what happens."

For now, Robinson's trying to keep a level head.

"I've seen too many people blow it," he said.