Laurent Robinson

Laurent Robinson (born May 20, 1985) is an American football wide receiver for the Jacksonville Jaguars of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Atlanta Falcons in the third round of the 2007 NFL Draft. He played college football at Illinois State.

He has also been a member of the St. Louis Rams, San Diego Chargers, and Dallas Cowboys.

Early years
Robinson attended Rockledge High School in Rockledge, Florida. As a junior he became a regular starter with the football team, recording six catches for 70 yards and one touchdown. During his senior season he caught 55 passes for 903 yards and 11 touchdowns, making honorable mention All-State as well as All-Conference, while helping his team win back-to-back Class 3A Florida State championships in 2001 and 2002, with identical 14-1 records. Robinson was a four-year member of the football, basketball and track teams.

His only scholarship offer came from Illinois State University, after his stepfather contacted the Redbirds' coaching staff, who had recruited Robinson's brother the previous year, and convinced them to evaluate him.

College career
While at Illinois State University, Robinson accumulated 192 career receptions (a school record) while contributing with 3,007 yards (a school record) and 29 touchdowns. In 2004 he caught 47 balls for 564 yards and a 12.0 yard average and 7 touchdowns. As a junior in 2005, he was named the league's Offensive Player of the Year and a consensus All-America after collecting 86 receptions for 1465 yards and a 17.0 yard average for 12 touchdowns. He was also a finalist for the Walter Payton Award, given to the top offensive player in Division I-AA. In 2006 he was limited to 40 catches for 718 yards with seven touchdowns because of an ankle injury that caused him to miss four games.

In 2009 he was voted to the Missouri Valley Football Conference quarter-century team.

2007 NFL Draft
After running the 40-yard dash in 4.38 seconds at the NFL Combine, he was drafted by the Atlanta Falcons in the third round of the 2007 NFL Draft.

Atlanta Falcons
As a rookie he played in 15 games (six starts) and recorded 37 receptions for 437 yards (11.8 avg.) and one touchdown.

In 2008 season, Robinson slipped on the Falcons' depth chart because of the emergence of rookie Harry Douglas and the return of Brian Finneran from a two-year absence because of knee injuries. That season he played in only six games because of head and hamstring injuries, making 5 receptions for 52 yards.

St. Louis Rams
On April 8, 2009 he was traded to the St. Louis Rams. The deal involved each team swapping their 5th and 6th round picks in the 2009 NFL Draft. The Falcons gave the Rams, Robinson, its fifth round (160th overall) and sixth round (196th overall) draft choices to the Rams for its fifth round (138th overall) and sixth round (176th overall) selections. With the trade, the Rams dropped 22 spots in the fifth round and 20 spots in the sixth round.

Robinson was a starter until he fractured his fibula on September 28, 2009 and was placed on injured reserve for the remainder of the season. At the time, he was leading the team in receptions with 13 for 167 yards.

In 2010 he had another disappointing season, finishing fifth on the team with 34 receptions for 344 yards and 2 touchdowns. The Rams released him in the off-season.

San Diego Chargers
Robinson signed as a free agent with the San Diego Chargers on August 3, 2011. He had a disappointing preseason in which he had only 1 catch for 18 yards through the first three preseason games. Despite an impressive final preseason game in which he caught six passes for 120 yards, he was released at the end of training camp on September 3, 2011.

Dallas Cowboys
Robinson broke out during the 2011 NFL season. He worked out for the Dallas Cowboys in September 2011. On September 7, he was signed by the Cowboys, only to be released on September 13, after having a hamstring injury during his first practice. On September 20, he was re-signed to the roster to shore up the Cowboys' injury-depleted wide receiver position.

On October 2, as the team's third receiver Robinson caught seven passes for 116 yards in a loss to the Detroit Lions. During the week eight loss against the Philadelphia Eagles, he had five catches for 103 yards and a touchdown, his first as a Cowboy. In the next game on November 6, Robinson again caught five passes 32 yards and a touchdown. Robinson followed up that game with three catches, two of which were touchdowns, against the Buffalo Bills starting in place of Miles Austin, while he was recovering from a hamstring injury. From week 8 through week 12, Laurent caught 24 passes for a total of 321 yards and 7 touchdowns.

Robinson completed the season with a career high 54 receptions for 858 receiving yards and 11 touchdowns (the most touchdowns caught by a Cowboys player this season). Having only a single year contract with the Cowboys, Robinson became an unrestricted free agent at the conclusion of the season.

Jacksonville Jaguars
Robinson signed a five-year, $32.5 million contract with the Jacksonville Jaguars on March 14, 2012. He was placed on injured reserve on November 21, 2012 after suffering multiple concussions.