Week Six's Overnight Sensation: Layden Robinson, Offensive Lineman

Each Monday during the 2020 Texas A&M football season, we’ll identify a first or second-year Aggie player who delivered an exceptional performance and earned the distinction of being the week’s ‘Overnight Sensation.’ 

Texas A&M's offensive line has been incredible this year. The Maroon Goons haven't allowed a sack in their last four games. The Aggies have run the ball at will, and improved protection has allowed Kellen Mond to have his best campaign yet.

Each of the five starters deserve recognition for the job they've done. Carson Green, Jared Hocker, Ryan McCollum, Kenyon Green and Dan Moore have been fantastic through Texas A&M's first six contests. They've been so reliable that much of the Aggies' offensive line depth hasn't been thrust into action yet.

However, late in Saturday night's drubbing of South Carolina, Hocker suffered what head coach Jimbo Fisher described as a "mild bang and bruise," forcing Josh Henson to make a change at right guard.

The second-year offensive line coach turned to 6-4, 325-pound redshirt freshman Layden Robinson to fill Hocker's vacancy.

Not only did Robinson play well in his limited time in the trenches, but he turned heads. He was so disruptive, opening massive holes for Aggie ball carriers that he even earned a new nickname courtesy of ESPN and SEC Network analyst Cole Cubelic, who referred to Robinson as a "WAR DADDY."

Cubelic (an appreciator of fine trench-play as a former offensive lineman himself) even compiled a thread of Robinson's best blocks and pancakes from Saturday night:

Only time will tell if Robinson will see more playing time, especially if Hocker is indeed healthy enough to step back into his starting role next week against Tennessee. But as Cubelic said via Twitter, "[Robinson] can really make them better at RG. Big game after filling in."

That's high praise from one of the SEC's top offensive line analysts. It's also a pretty good sign when folks are already calling you "War Daddy" just six games into your collegiate career in which you've only played sparingly.

Fisher, Henson and offensive coordinator Darrell Dickey must certainly be pleased with what the future of the Maroon Goons and the Aggie ground game could look like with so many youngsters already contributing at high levels.

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