Layden Robinson hopes to be latest Maroon Goon selected in NFL Draft

The 2024 NFL Draft will begin on April 25 in Detroit, and offensive lineman Layden Robinson is one of a handful of Aggies hoping to hear his name called. Robinson joined TexAgs Radio on Tuesday to review his pre-draft process and discuss what it would mean to be selected.

Key notes from Layden Robinson interview

• I’m happy to be back here. It has been a minute, and thank you, TexAgs.
   
• The process of preparing for the NFL Draft has been great. I’ve been enjoying the process and training with the Senior Bowl and NFL Combine. There has been the process of interviewing with teams, too. It has been a great experience, and I’m blessed to go through it. I give all glory to God.
   
• Everything has me shell-shocked because I’m here now. I’ve been dreaming about this moment for years and worrying about what it’s going to be like. Every coach and every people you talk to has you like, “Wow!”
   
• You get asked about the lack of on-field success as a team at Texas A&M some, and it’s one of the biggest questions. When you have a team with talent that didn’t win enough games, you have to ask why it didn’t mesh. What were the problems we had internally? It’s all about the culture that you present and who is going to follow the lead of that culture. You have to have a winning culture with everybody bought in. Some people just have to figure it out on their own, and if they don’t, they have to find somewhere else to go.
   
• I definitely grew as a leader at Texas A&M. I remember all the good and challenging times that I had, and it made me the man I am today. You have to be a light for other people too. You have to bring people up and bring yourself up to carry yourself like a professional. You have to help yourself and others around you.
   
• Through the process, I’ve learned that everybody sees things differently and through a different lens. You have to know that you have no idea where you’re going to go. Teams tell you they’d love to have you, but you know it’s a business. You can’t take it hard if they don’t select you because they have different needs. I just want to get my foot in the door and show an organization what I can do from them. I’d love to see how the veterans go through life to learn how to make it my own. That’s my mindset right now.
   
• I’ve talked to Dan Moore a lot, and he gives me advice, information and checks up on me from time to time. I talked to DeMarvin Leal once too.
   
• I talked to McKinnley Jackson at the Senior Bowl, and we were there with Ainias Smith too. We checked up on each other then. Every time we see each other, it’s a good energy. We encourage each other to keep going and tell each other how proud we are of one another to be at this stage.
   
• I think Smith is going to be a great pro. He does it all. You can see from his work ethic and how he carries himself off the field to encourage people that he’s going to be great. Knowing him and his family and their values, he has no reason not to be successful at the next level. He had a brother who was in the NFL, too. His brother lets him know how it is at the next level. He has an amazing amount of resources.
   
• I am hearing that Mike Elko is great. He demanded a culture shift. People are taking the initiative and making sure nobody is missing anything. He’s very serious about changing the culture. I love it. It’s supposed to be hard and challenging, and the guys love it. I’m excited to see how it goes. They have a lot of talent. You can tell these guys have a lot of love for each other, and you can see they’re having fun. I’m excited to see this next team, and I think they’re going to do great.
   
• It’s very weird to see the transition. It’s different, but you feel good about the differences because they’re all great people.
   
• Texas A&M means everything to me. This is the place that gave me a shot and the opportunity. It allowed me to play against the SEC, but it gave me the opportunity to have a great life after football, too, with the education. I graduated early. I have my Aggie ring. Great people encouraged you every day. That’s important. People don’t see how Aggies care about you, and this place has helped me as a man and as a player. It was the best experience I could have ever had. I’m thankful for that opportunity of a life time. I’m grateful to be an Aggie, and I’m forever an Aggie.