Bengals 7th Round Steal Landon Robinson on Navy, Grit, & Making the Roster

Ajouté : 2026-05-14

[00:00:01]Hello everyone, welcome to the Believe in Bengal podcast presented by FanDuel.

[00:00:04]I'm your host Solomon Wilcots and it is my pleasure to welcome to the show Landon Robinson, the Cincinnati Bengals seventh-round pick in the 2026 draft.

[00:00:14]Landon, how you doing today? I'm doing well, sir. How are you? You look like you're just getting off the the field, man. You're putting in some work today.

[00:00:22]Tell me what your day was like, what were some of the things you guys worked on? Yeah, no, we just uh we woke up early this morning around 6:45, took the shuttle over to the facility. Uh then we had a few meetings for a couple hours just learning the new install. Uh then we went outside and we practiced for about an hour and a half just now. Uh just going over different run schemes, different pass rush techniques, and just making sure we're we're getting the playbook down. I think as young guys, it's important to know the plays, you know, that's the first step to getting on the field. So, just making sure we're knowing that, getting the the plays down through different walk-throughs that we've been doing. So, it's been awesome.

[00:00:54]And just just now got off the field and doing a little extra work after, so you know, always got to get it in. Look, we got to tell people who you are and because I just think you have a wonderful story. Uh obviously, you are Ohio-bred and born young man. You're from the great state of Ohio. Your dad rooted for the Cincinnati Bengals, still does, I I assume, and maybe you grew up watching a lot of Cincinnati Bengals games. So, why don't you tell Cincinnati Bengals fans where you grew up uh and how you uh made it to Cincinnati.

[00:01:28]Yes, sir. Yeah, so I grew up uh right I think up north at Akron, Akron, Ohio.

[00:01:33]Grew up there, uh went to school up there, played multiple sports in high school, wrestled, baseball, you know, football, and track. Uh so, I always loved to compete, always loved to just, you know, make myself better, whatever it is, just find a way to get to make myself better through different sports and everything.

[00:01:49]And then my junior year, and I really fell in love with football, fell in love with the environment and with the game.

[00:01:54]And so, I but COVID had hit during that time, so I really couldn't go to any camps. I couldn't put myself out there, you know, physically. So, I was just sending my film out through Twitter. I ended up getting an offer to Navy, the Naval Academy. I learned about it, learned, you know, what how it develops you as a person, as a man, as a military member, you know, I great academics, and just all those things, you know, that that comes into being a great leader. So, you know, I really enjoyed the enjoyed my my time at Navy, enjoyed the process, learned a lot, it grew me in all those ways that I just said, as a leader, as a person, as a man. And then obviously you get to play high-level football, playing Notre Dame and then in the Army-Navy game and all those big games. So, it was such a great, you know, great experience and and now I I had the opportunity to be drafted to to the Cincinnati Bengals.

[00:02:36]So, uh it's such a blessing and every day that I wake up I'm like, I'm living the dream. Living the dream every single day and I get to be around the best, you know, best players in the world. So, it's such a blessing to be able to learn from those guys and continue to make myself better every day. Well, many of us considered you to be among the best, you know, the time that you spent uh in Annapolis, Maryland as a Navy midshipman. Uh that's a high bar now, Landon, you know, and kind of tell us about some of the things that you learned there that you think in your personal life that translate to helping you to become a better football player.

[00:03:10]Yes, you know, the Naval Academy is a place of discipline, it's a place of morals, of values, and I think you take that discipline and, you know, you can't you can't you have to be really compartmentalize your day, right? You're busy with, you know, with academics, you're busy with the military, busy with football, and all those things doing that on a daily basis and being able to balance all those things. That really translates over to football and being able to focus, you know, when your when your assignment is to do this, you focus on that and you're going to do your job at the best way you possibly can. So, I think the discipline and then being able to really compartmentalize your day, that truly that that translates over to football a ton. So, I think that's that's made me, you know, a good player and I'm excited to continue that and as I make this transition into NFL. Now, take me back to your early days. Who were some of the Bengals players when you were a kid, you were watching Bengals games with your dad? Cuz I think I read that your dad is was a Bengals fan. Who were some of the players that maybe you remembered who played for the Bengals during those time when you used to watch games with your with your dad?

[00:04:10]Yeah, you know, I was a kid and I'm like most kids, they like what's football?

[00:04:14]Like what is this? Like you know, these guys you know, they're playing football but like who like who are they? So, I don't remember too many players but I do remember you know, Ochocinco.

[00:04:23]Obviously, he was playing at during that time and he was making a plays but also Geno Atkins, right? He was a a great player. Obviously, he was a Pro Bowler.

[00:04:31]So, being able to see him on the screen, I remember those players. My dad would just always be going crazy watching the games and so even now, you know, I watch Geno Atkins film. I watch you know, Aaron Donald's film and all those guys cuz they're very similar to my stature and my play style.

[00:04:45]So, so those were just kind of those are the players that I watched growing up.

[00:04:48]Yeah, I was going to say, you know, you go what? 6 ft 287 lb. I remember when Aaron Donald was coming out of University of Pittsburgh, he was seldom talked about during that draft class, during the run-up to the draft that year. And but boy, did he make a career for himself what many of us believe will lead to a trip to Canton in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Geno Atkins was a former fourth round selection with the Cincinnati Bengals. As it turns out, Landon, he's one of the best interior defensive lineman Cincinnati Bengals have had throughout their franchise history. So, how would you say that your game sort of compare to theirs and maybe with the height and the stature, how does that play to your advantage?

[00:05:28]Yes, you know, football is a game of of leverage. You know, the lower the lower man wins.

[00:05:33]And when you put that that natural born leverage in with quickness and strength, speed and being in in great technique, being able to to you have great hands and get their hands off and get in the backfield, you know, that obviously translates over to being a great player.

[00:05:47]So, I think all those those are great players that I just talked about, they all have you know, they're all the same height as me, they use great leverage, they're quick, and they're very strong.

[00:05:55]So, I think I try my best to to build my my body up, you know, physically, but also um use work on my technique or watch film, you know, be able to study the game um so I can go and affect the quarterback in the backfield as much as possible. When they you put the tape on and watch many of your games, that's exactly what you see. You see a guy who's got for one you play with great energy uh and you play with tremendous amount of speed and technical skill. People don't realize that the interior part of the defensive line, it's a highly technical game. Hand placement, leverage, um and you know, look, if I don't know that you were a wrestler, you played enough sports that maybe you didn't have to wrestle. You were great in track, basketball, baseball, football, uh but man, you tend to win the game of leverage very well. How do you come about doing that?

[00:06:45]No, I did wrestle. Um no, I wrestled my last 2 years of high school.

[00:06:51]That's I think that truly has helped me out a ton, being able to use that leverage, stay low to the ground, and just be quick and fast.

[00:06:58]Um I think I definitely that's translated over to football a ton. So, I did wrestle and it I think it helped me out so much. You can you can tell, man.

[00:07:06]It it is just absolutely phenomenal. I I got to tell you this. I heard your name so much from other teams, other scouts around the National Football League that had you not been drafted in the seventh round. I think the Bengals are fortunate to get you there cuz had you gone undrafted, you would have had so many people knocking down your door. Did had you heard anything like that? Many teams were ready to call and sign you as soon as the draft was over? Is that what you were hearing? Yes, sir. Yeah, I knew we were getting toward the end of the draft and I was waiting there with my agent and my family and there there a bunch of teams. I think probably like probably over 15, 20, 20 different teams texting just you know giving us different you know insight and like hey you want to get out all this stuff. So it was definitely an honor for sure but it's it's it was a blessing to be able to be picked up by the Bengals and you know being able to be in the room with such so many such a talented room and such so many great guys I can learn from. So I'm so excited to get to work. Well I I say we cuz I'm still a Cincinnati Bengal at heart. I was drafted by the team, played for three different teams in the NFL but it's always the team that drafts you.

[00:08:12]You know that you feel that that's always your home and it's shame on those other teams trying to get you for cheap.

[00:08:18]Trying to get you for a bargain, right?

[00:08:21]>> [laughter] >> So I'm glad you're wearing Bengal stripes. What is it about playing with this team knowing that your dad rooted for this team and then the irony that you would be drafted and get to play in your home state of Ohio? Yes sir. It means so much and like I said earlier I'm living the dream. I'm in my home state, you know playing about 3 hours from home, 3 hour drive. I went home this past weekend was able to see my family and drive back and get back to work. So it's such a blessing. Every day I wake up and you know I'm like man I'm here and it's every day is an opportunity to grow yourself as a player, as a man, learn from the best of the best here and then just such a great coaching staff, you know coach Montgomery, coach Taylor like all those guys they're they're they're so awesome.

[00:09:02]Great people, great men that I can learn from and I'm just so excited to continue to learn and develop and then get after it. So I'm so excited. All right. So look you walk into a room and man there's a a tremendous lineup. You got a Myles Murphy, a Jonathan Allen, you got Dexter Lawrence. Everybody knows sexy Dex and Boye Mafe. This is a very deep room of defensive lineman. What comes to mind when you know that you're getting an opportunity to play with some of the some of the best in the world at your position?

[00:09:35]It it's a opportunity to learn. Be a sponge, right? That's That's what I keep telling myself every single day is be a sponge, learn and grow, right? You know, these guys have played in the league, you know, combined probably over probably 50 years of of NFL experience.

[00:09:49]So, um so I'm just so excited to to be in the room every day, pick those guys' brains, and just be able to watch them on the field, and then them be able to correct me when I get on the field. Um just being able to just learn from those guys. I think that's very important. Uh you can't be too, you know, you can't have a big head and be like, "Oh man, like I need to be, you know, out there all the time." Like it's a great room, and there's a lot of great players, uh and they've they've proved themselves in the league, and now it's my turn to to go and do that by learning from them.

[00:10:17]So, I'm just so excited. What are some of the things that your defensive line coach, Jerry Montgomery, who's a guy that's been in the league coaching in the NFL for at least 11 years? He's coached in college. What are some of the things that he has told you that you have sort of began to sort of emphasize as you look to improve as a player?

[00:10:36]Yes, coach Coach Montgomery, he's very technical, very technical coach, which is awesome. That's what you need and like you said, defensive line it's very technical, and a lot of people don't really see that, you know, but when you really break down the game, it's all about hand placement, it's all about where your eyes, it's all about how you striking, and that's the things that we've been going over in practice a lot is just how What are your techniques?

[00:10:56]Where are your hands? Where are you striking? Uh where are your eyes need to be in order to affect the quarterback and, you know, get your body uh coordinated the right way to go and affect the pocket. So, all those things.

[00:11:06]I think that he's very technical, and he's been teaching me just the little details on how to be great.

[00:11:11]I I want to share a story, and you can correct me if I'm wrong in anywhere in the point of the story, but I think it really is to sort of illustrate your love for the game. Uh and and just some of the rare qualities that you possess.

[00:11:26]Uh because uh as I was told the story, it was your last uh college game, and as you well know in our game today a lot of departing seniors, right? They want to get ready for the for the combine. They want to get ready for these workouts.

[00:11:40]They want to get ready quote for the NFL. And so they'll skip maybe that last game want to make sure that they emerge healthy and sort of ready to move on.

[00:11:49]And that you said no, I'm going to play.

[00:11:50]This is the last game I get to play with my college teammates and whatever happens so be it. And I was told that's what you did. Your love for the game superseded all the other stuff.

[00:12:00]And you poured yourself into playing in that final game. Tell me more about it.

[00:12:04]Did I get it right by the way? That's right. We played Cincinnati in our bowl game. Our last game, last game of the season, last game of my career. And it was just opportunity to go out there and play with my guys one more time. Yeah.

[00:12:16]And you don't you know football you only get to play college football once, you know, and after that experience you're never going to be able to go back. So I knew that you know I put in so much time with my brothers and we've trained for so long together and you know being having to you know sit on the sideline and watch them get out there and play that's just not not who I am and not what I wanted to to leave them off with you know as as the captain of the team and as a player not not not didn't not what I wanted to do.

[00:12:42]So I I love playing football and it's just an opportunity to get out there and play one more time with them. So I was glad I did that. See that not only speaks to your love of the game, I think it speaks to your character.

[00:12:53]You understood exactly what you meant to your teammates, to your coaching staff, to the entire program. And to be able to show up under those circumstances and put it on the line for your teammates man that I think it it's just so phenomenal. I think it speaks well to your character and we should let people know that you were the AAC Defensive Player of the Year. So I couldn't imagine that your teammates would have wanted to that last game without one of their best players and their team captain, right? Right. No there's no way. Couldn't let that happen. Not at all. That that is absolutely phenomenal.

[00:13:26]Uh I think it bodes well for you in terms of how you're ready to compete.

[00:13:29]What What do you think about your time spent uh at the Naval Academy that will best prepare you for what you're in for as you're going to this training camp?

[00:13:39]And you know, so I went into a rookie training camp. I remember what it was like that very first year. And I'm sure it you know, it seems like uh there's going to be a lot to get done.

[00:13:49]What what What is it about your past and what you've been able to do so far that leads you to believe that, hey, this is something that's doable for you?

[00:13:58]No doubt. I think the Naval Academy, it's a place of perseverance and discipline, right? I kind of talked about it earlier, but the mental toughness that you develop by going through, you know, hard practices, long days, Yeah. all those experiences, they they build that mental toughness to be able to get through hard things. And training camp's not easy. It's long days. You're you're out there, you know, you're banging on the field. And then you have to go and be long meetings, right? So, having that experience in my uh background and having that that Naval Academy experience has grown me to be able to handle that. And it's nothing new to me. I could be here all day. Uh so, being able to be focused uh for long periods of time and be able to to grow and really soak in that information, even though it's been a long day, I think that's what the Naval Academy has prepared me for. So, take me into what you studied. Okay, you're off the football field. You're at the Naval Academy. Take me through just maybe a few of the courses that you had uh over the last uh couple of years that that were not only challenging, but that you were able to get done. I'm just trying to compare maybe what what some of the subjects uh that you were diving into when it really got hot and heavy in the classroom. Yes, sir. Yeah, I was a cyber operations major. So, as you can imagine, a lot of classes that involved computers, different coding classes, uh different, you know, wireless, like how Wi-Fi works. Yeah. A lot of different STEM classes cuz everyone from the Naval Academy graduates with a STEM degree.

[00:15:25]Freshman year, everyone takes the same classes. So, we all take Cal 1, Cal 2, Cal 3, Physics 1 and 2, all those different classes. So, and then the second year you get your major. So, I've taken a lot of cyber classes, a lot of STEM classes. So, I think that's It's definitely not, you know, the easiest thing to balance that with football, but I was able to get it done and here we are, so. And for the lay people, I should let them know those STEM classes is science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, correct? Yes, sir. Look at you, man. Big brain you got there, Landon.

[00:15:57]>> I try. It's a lot of hard work.

[00:15:59]So, now that they've given you your NFL playbook, how are you How are you grappling with that? That's sort of like learning a new language, isn't it? It is. It is. The new language, it's it's a new scheme, but I've been soaking it in very well and being able to relay that to to Coach Montgomery and being able to ask questions when needed, but I think I've been taking it very well.

[00:16:18]Now, have you primarily played what? The over tackle position, under tackle position, or maybe both? Have you played in what? A 3-4, 4-3? Kind of give us some understanding of the history of what you've been accustomed to playing in. Yeah, we at Navy we played in all the kind of fronts. We played in 3-4, you know, 4-2, all those different schemes. I think I played at Navy I played traditionally like the interior interior, like 2i the shade technique. But, here I'm going to play more of the 3-tech.

[00:16:46]I'll be able to play anything. I've had that experience and I'm excited to to go wherever Coach Montgomery needs me to, so.

[00:16:53]3-technique, that sounds like they're going to turn you loose, Landon. That's that's pretty fun position there. Yeah, it is. It sure is. I hope so. Yeah, you know, people should know that you know, you get to line up in the gap a little bit. You get Your quickness is something that's a asset for you, guys. What I've noticed. What How do you use that to your advantage?

[00:17:13]Yeah, the offensive line, you know, they they get a play and they they line up on the line and they have a guy a man that they're supposed to block, right?

[00:17:19]>> Yeah. And they they have a different scheme. They're either going left or going right or they're pass blocking.

[00:17:24]And when you're in that gap, and they know, okay, I got to block this guy, but you hit him with a little shake, and you you you go where they don't expect you to, and you're already gone, you know, that's obviously how you use that speed to be able to affect the quarterback and getting in that backfield. So, I think I do that uh pretty well. I'm excited to continue to to grow that and develop that part of my game. Um but also just the the knowledge piece, being able to know where uh what they're going to run, what the offense is going to run so that I can use my my quickness effectively um to get in that backfield. What is it about Aaron Donald's game that impressed you the most?

[00:17:57]I think just his his ability to, you know, everyone always talks about in the the process just how small you are, can't do it, you don't have long enough arms. He heard that, too. He heard he sure did. And I think that that it was his mentality to, I'm going to go out here, and I'm going to I'm going to go and make plays, like, no matter what you think, right? That mentality, but also just his his quickness, his speed, his strength. You know, he was one of the strongest dudes in the weight room, right, of all time. And he he could see that on on the field. So, uh people they they see the size, and they they knock him, but when you get out there and you feel him strike you, uh you know he's been in that weight room. And then just the speed and quickness as well. And he wasn't the heaviest guy. He played at probably around 280, around like that at most, probably. Um but he he was able to be effective at that size. So, I think that's what I I definitely see that a lot of it in his game, and that's what I commemorate the most. Geno Atkins during his time with the Cincinnati Bengals was a huge fan favorite. What was it about his game that you liked the most?

[00:18:57]I think very very similar to Aaron Donald. I think his his quickness, his speed. He was very, you know, vertical, you know, get off the ball kind of player, right? He He He He watched a lot of film. He watched a lot of film on uh how he can he affect uh the team, what type of run scheme is this team running, and being able to to use that to his his advantage. So, he's very a very smart player along with his quickness and his speed.

[00:19:20]Have you um do you have any idea what number they're going to give you?

[00:19:25]96.

[00:19:26]>> Yes, sir.

[00:19:27]>> 96? That's right. That's right.

[00:19:28]>> I I think Gino was 97, wasn't he? I think when he was Yeah, he was Bengal.

[00:19:33]96 is a unique number. I like that number for you. Is that the number you wore in college, right?

[00:19:38]>> It is. Yes, sir. Isn't that cool? They already knew that and soon as you showed up, there you were hanging right there and hanging in your locker, right?

[00:19:46]>> Yes, sir. It was super cool. It was awesome. Now, what has your dad told you now that you're going to be playing for the Bengals? When he heard the news, what did he have to say to you? He was over the moon. He was ecstatic. He was crying and it was just it was such a nice moment to be able to say that I got drafted to to his favorite team. So, it was it was awesome. It was a great moment with my family. They had a lot of family around and it was just awesome.

[00:20:10]We were able to celebrate with them.

[00:20:11]Now, your mom and dad were athletes, too. Why don't you tell us more about them?

[00:20:15]Yeah. Yeah, my mom, she played volleyball in high school.

[00:20:18]She Yeah, she was a great volleyball player. Went to like All States for for volleyball. And then my dad was a gymnast at Kent State. So, he He did that. He was all-American gymnast at Kent State and he he crushed it. So, that's the little bit of athletic background that I have that shows up in my game from time to time. So, Hey, hey, balance, core strength. That Hey, look, don't sleep on gymnasts, man. They are powerful people, great athleticism.

[00:20:45]And so, we want to thank Dad for and Mom for bequeathing you with with all of those talents and all those skills. All right, let Before we let you go, just kind of take me through your mindset and your approach to all of this and as you go into your your rookie training camp.

[00:21:02]You have a lot of long days ahead of you, but just kind of talk to me about how you plan to approach it all.

[00:21:08]I I my mentality throughout this whole thing is just go compete. Go compete every day. Just go in and give it your all and get 1% better every single day.

[00:21:16]And you know, show that you deserve to be out here. You know, every single day is a blessing to be able to put the cleats on, be able to put the helmet on and go out there. So, you know, give it all you got, right? Why why leave anything in the tank? So, my mentality is to go compete, you know, go learn, to go be a sponge, and go prove to the coaches I can play. So. Was there anybody uh in the NFL that you may have played with, that you knew kind of as you were going through the process uh of getting ready for the draft that you were able to talk to and lean on to help you prepare for it all?

[00:21:49]Yeah, we had a Raeyan Lane. He was a safety that got He got drafted last year out of Navy. And he was down in He's down in Jacksonville right now, but I learned a lot and I texted him a lot throughout the process and just what did he do cuz it's a unique process, you know, from the Naval Academy to go to the league. So, um so, talking to him about what he did, how he handled it mentally, and the different things that comes up in the process. So, I talked to him a lot. Because that Look, anyone will tell you you go through your your final year of college ball uh and you're getting ready for graduation, you're doing exams, but you're also getting ready uh for the NFL draft, and that's a whole 'nother schedule that you're keeping.

[00:22:27]Then you get drafted. Now you're getting ready to try to make the team. And then if you make the team, you've got this rookie uh the longest season you've ever played in. They play 17 games in the NFL, and I'm sure you already know that. But you've never probably played in a 17-game regular season uh at any at any level, right? No, sir. Yeah, no, it's going to be new, but I love football, so I'm excited to play.

[00:22:53]Well, Landon, hey, we appreciate you.

[00:22:55]We're excited to have you uh with the Cincinnati Bengals, man. The journey that you have taken to get here, it's an uncommon one. It's one that maybe even the great Roger Staubach could even talk about. I'm sure you've heard that name a time or two. He's a Cincinnati native, by the way, and a former Heisman Trophy winner at the Naval Academy. And so, you're following in those footsteps. And so, you got the entire town who's rooting for you, my friend. You do know that, right? Yes, sir. Thank you. No, I appreciate that a lot. All right. We'll continue to stay in touch with you. We wish you all the best. Thank you for joining us here on the Believe in Bengals podcast presented by FanDuel.

[00:23:31]We'll catch up to you sometime again soon, okay? Yes, sir. Thank you so much for your time. I appreciate it.

[00:23:36]>> All right. Appreciate you. All right, everyone. Don't forget to join us again next time. We'll see you, everyone.