Duce Robinson's explosive season and dominant size make him a top returning receiver. Can he deliver another record-breaking year for Florida State?
Junior receiver Duce Robinson burst onto the scene in his first season in Garnet and Gold, exploding for 56 receptions, 1,081 yards and six touchdowns. This was the first time a Florida State receiver had broken the 1,000-yard mark since 2019.
Thanks to his stellar season, Robinson was ranked the fifth-best returning wideout, grading in at an 82.4, according to PFSN College. He is the second-highest rated receiver on the list, trailing only Miami's standout freshman Malachi Toney.
Robinson joined the Noles after two limited seasons at USC, where he accumulated just 39 catches for 747 yards. However, Robinson became the go-to guy for starting quarterback Thomas Castellanos, catching his stride as the season went on.
After limited production in the Noles season-opening upset over then-ranked No. 8 Alabama, Robinson torched East Texas A&M in Week 2, hauling in five receptions for 173 yards and two scores.
Later in the year, Robinson notched three-straight 100-plus-yard receiving performances, doing so against Clemson, Wake Forest and Virginia Tech.
Against the Hokies, Robinson totaled 134 yards and a touchdown, helping the Noles earn their final victory of the season. After trailing 7-3 through most of the fourth quarter, Robinson broke free and scored on a 50-yard pass play before halftime.
Robinson is the definition of a deep-ball threat, averaging 19.3 yards per reception -- the ninth-highest in FBS. Much of this can be attributed to Robinson's large frame and leaping ability.
At 6-foot-6 and 222 pounds, Robinson has the build of a big tight end, which is exactly the position he once played.
Coming out of Pinnace High School, in Phoenix, Arizona, Robinson was the No. 1-ranked tight end prospect in the country. 247Sports' Chris Singletary noted in a 2021 recruiting profile that Robinson's build is what made him such an intriguing talent.
Robinson's recruiting profile also listed his other physical attributes, incluing a 6-foot, 10-inch wingspan, 35-inch arms, and 10-inch hands. All that length, Singletary wrote, gives Robinson "the advantage of a tremendous catch radius that is coupled with an impressive vertical to high-point the ball in traffic and on 50/50 balls."
Robinson had originally declared for the NFL draft, but decided to forgo the process and return to the Noles next season. This is a huge get for coach Mike Norvell, who is looking for a bounce-back season.
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