Northwestern undrafted free agent tracker: C.J. Robbins, Tennessee Titans agree to deal

Former Northwestern defensive end C.J. Robbins has agreed to a deal with the Tennessee Titans, his mother, Stacey, announced on Twitter Sunday.

The program confirmed the signing later that night.

Robbins, who did not play in his first two seasons due to injury, transitioned from defensive tackle to defensive end and worked his way into a starting role in 2014. In 2016, he posted the best season of his career, posting 26 tackles and three sacks.

At 6-foot-3 and 301 pounds, Robbins projects more as a tackle than an end in the NFL. His value comes in his ability to draw blockers and clog gaps in the running game, making tackle a better positional fit. Where he’ll have trouble is the passing game, where his lack of speed and quickness could inhibit him from getting to the quarterback and staying on the field on third downs. Here is our full scouting report on Robbins.

The Titans currently have five defensive tackles and four defensive ends already on the roster, so Robbins, especially given how late he signed with the team, is a long shot to make the 53-man roster.

Robbins is the fifth former Northwestern player to find an NFL home during this year’s draft cycle; Anthony Walker Jr. (Colts) and Ifeadi Odenigbo (Vikings) were taken on Day Three of the Draft, and Austin Carr (Patriots) and Joe Jones (Cowboys) signed as undrafted free agents.

Correction: An original version of this story incorrectly stated that Robbins worked his way into a starting role in 2016. Robbins started eight games in 2014 and 12 games in 2015. We apologize and regret the error.