Rivals Rankings Week: Georgia commit Ellis Robinson earns fifth star
The last 12 months or so have been good to Ellis Robinson.
The defensive back prospect went from one of the new faces at IMG Academy to one of the most notable cornerback recruits in the class of 2024, securing a commitment to national champion Georgia along the way.
His stock has soared this offseason. After the spring evaluation period, he moved to the No. 1 cornerback spot and in the preseason update this week, Robinson earned his fifth star in addition to retaining said top spot in the ultra competitive premium position.
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Rivals Rankings Week
Sunday: Who should be No. 1?
Monday: Five-Star Countdown
Tuesday: New Rivals250 revealed | Gorney's thoughts | Ten on the cusp of five-star status
Wednesday: Offensive position rankings
Thursday: Defensive position rankings
Friday: State rankings
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In addition to showing top skill against a true national schedule like IMG competes against every single year, Robinson has matured within his own game. Early in his prep career, as he came up as a two-way talent with strong wide receiver skills in addition to his secondary work, there was playmaking ability thanks in large part to raw skill and a great frame.
Robinson had always been considered a playmaker, but in 2022 he took a step forward from a technical standpoint with all those starting reps opposite great cover players and against fellow Power Five talents on the other side of the ball. With that, the confidence hit a higher note ahead of what we have seen since late last fall -- comfort. Robinson is simply comfortable working against any body type, at the line of scrimmage or off, with similar success in most scenarios.
The top cornerback spot became evident for him in recent months, but the fifth star was about the total package. At near 6-foot-2, 185 pounds, his frame and length has long been a strength. The added polish enhanced those strengths both at the line of scrimmage and at the catch point, the two areas in which a wide receiver and/or quarterback is most disrupted. Even with a wrist injury in the spring and early summer, Robinson was seemingly never limited at IMG and during the 7-on-7 circuit despite the spotlight often on him. He was challenged by the best in 2024 and 2025 with strong results, regardless of setting.
The final question around Robinson's game was the simplest -- how well could he run? There were no glaring holes in this department in his 2022 tape and nothing in-person pushed the answer towards negativity, but he was so polished and sound near the line of scrimmage that he didn't have to 'open it up' full throttle as often as other corners. Samples of the true answer came during visits to practice, covering prospects known purely for speed like Jarrae Hawkins, while others came via 7-on-7 against five-stars like Jeremiah Smith and Dakorien Moore. All different body types, but all tough to keep from getting down the field, though Robinson was able to play in-phase, in-position ball with each on several occasions.
Outside of quarterback, cornerback may be the pickiest set of boxes we're asked to check in this business, yet Robinson has satisfied every during the build up this his senior football season. Scheme versatile with modern size and true ball skills, the new five-star feels like not only a high floor prospect we're willing to bet on, but one who can enhance strengths at a championship-level program like Georgia and potentially develop into a true shutdown cornerback on college's grandest stage.