After the Kentucky Wildcats came back to beat the Iowa Hawkeyes in the Citrus Bowl Saturday afternoon, Wan’Dale Robinson was named the MVP of the game.
In his first bowl game of his career, Robinson showed all of the country what Big Blue Nation had been seeing since September, as he was electric once again.
Finishing the game with 170 yards on 10 catches, none was bigger than the 52-yard reception late in the fourth quarter to set up the game-winning touchdown by Chris Rodriguez.
With the bowl season behind him, now comes decision time as the star wideout has an NFL Draft decision to make.
“I’m going to sit down with my family, talk with them and just figure out what’s best for us,” Robinson said after the game. “That decision...I feel like, will come soon.”
The question with this decision is not if Robinson would be drafted. It mostly comes down to when the playmaking receiver would come off the board that will impact his decision.
Vince Marrow joined KSR’s Sunday Morning Sports Talk this past weekend and spoke on the decision Wan’Dale has to make.
“You all know the elephant in the room, No. 1 (Wan’Dale),” Marrow said. “I’m very close to his family. We will talk. From what Wan’Dale’s telling me, if he has a good grade from first, second or third (round), he would most likely go.
“If not, I think he’ll come back. But let’s be honest. After that last chant in the stadium, he could probably get over a $1 million NIL deal. Those people really want him back. He’s going to do what’s best for him.”
Marrow continued and compare the situation to Lynn Bowden, who was drafted in the third round at 80th overall.
“Lynn Bowden told me when he was here the last game, ‘Man, now I wish I had stayed another year. I really miss it here, I wish I would’ve stayed.’”
NIL is obviously a game-changer in the situation, but the main question will be can Wan’Dale improve his NFL Draft stock with a return to Lexington?
With Will Levis returning for a second season in the program, it is quite possible those numbers get even better. The chemistry that has been built this season with Levis is obvious. Add in the addition of some other talented receivers, and the sky is the limit if he decides to return.
Saying all of this, we should expect Robinson to go pro until he says otherwise.
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