Noah Robinson commits to UCF: ‘It’s a once-in-a-lifetime thing’
Ocala (Fla.) Vanguard defensive tackle Noah Robinson returned to UCF on Saturday for the final spring practice inside the Bounce House.
This time, he left as a Knight.
Robinson, a 6-foot-4, 260-pound defensive tackle, had picked up an offer exactly a month ago after attending one of the first spring practices. Today, he brought his mother and stepfather back to campus for one final look before pulling the trigger.
“I was already planning on making it official,” Robinson said. “I just wanted my mom and my stepdad to go look at it for themselves first before I made the decision. They felt like what Coach (Kenny) Martin was telling us was a good decision.”
Robinson’s relationship with Martin, who is his recruiter and future position coach, became one of biggest factors in his recruitment.
“When I first got there, Coach Martin was the first person I saw,” Robinson said. “I was just telling him I was thinking about making the move today, and that I was going to talk to Coach (Scott) Frost after practice.”
Martin made sure to seal the deal with Robinson’s family. He walked Robinson’s mother through a presentation detailing the players he had developed into NFL prospects.
“Coach Martin showed my mom a little PowerPoint of players he got to the NFL that he developed,” Robinson said. “My mom really liked that, and that really encouraged me to make my decision.”
After practice wrapped up, Robinson made his way to Frost’s office and made it official.
“We went to Coach Frost’s office, and I told him I was committing there,” Robinson said. “They were all excited about it. They’re ready to work with me, ready to get me to campus and get me in shape like the other guys. I was really fired up about that. Coach Frost is a really good guy. He’s ready for me to get there, and I’m ready to see him at work once I graduate.”
UCF’s pull on Robinson goes beyond football. His mother graduated from UCF in 2012, and that connection played a significant role in his decision.
“My mom is my best friend,” Robinson said. “I figured it would be a good idea to go finish her legacy there at UCF. She loved it — she said it really changed from when she was going there.”
Robinson also got a chance to talk with UCF players during his visit, including defensive lineman Artavius Jones, who reinforced that UCF was the right fit.
“Artavius Jones was telling me this would be a great fit because a lot of the guys are older and graduating in the next few years,” Robinson said. “He said Coach Martin is going to develop me real good and that it would be a great idea to commit. He had a lot of good things to say about Coach Martin.”
Throughout the process, Martin stood out as the central figure in Robinson’s recruitment and ultimately his commitment.
“Coach Martin is a great guy,” Robinson said. “I feel like he could really develop me and get me to the next level. I’ve met a lot of coaches, but he stood out to me the most. He showed me receipts of players he developed to the NFL, and I’m trying to be one of those guys. I feel like he’s the best coach to develop me and get me where I need to be.”
Robinson described himself as a physical, instinctive player with a team-first mentality.
“They see me as a beast,” Robinson said. “I’m good at watching the ball, getting off the ball, pad level, aggression — all that. But most importantly, I’m a team player. I try to get out to my guys and make sure everything goes smoothly.”
Robinson’s other offers included FAU, Arkansas State, North Texas, Southern Miss, Kennesaw State, Eastern Michigan and Georgia Southern. He just scheduled his UCF official visit for June 12.
“It’s a once-in-a-lifetime thing,” Robinson said of his commitment. “I’m trying to make something great out of it.”
Robinson was one of two commitments for UCF on Saturday, along with Sarasota (Fla.) Cardinal Mooney running back Connail Jackson. The duo joins Miami (Fla.) Mater Academy wide receiver Jamal Robinson Jr. among the early pledges in UCF’s 2027 class.
SIGN UP: Join the UCFSports.com Community for $1
Join the message board discussion with diehard UCF fans in The Dungeon
