If you remember last February we did a spotlight on my guys step-son, Man Robinson. We at Cardinal Sports Zone have been lucky enough to keep up with one of the more humble and talented kids in the class of 2028 from Christian Academy. Man also happens to be a Legacy Recruit and a 3-sport Athlete (Football, Basketball, Track).
As I’ve mentioned previously, he is the step son of former Louisville Male standout and Executive Director of the Jamon Brown Foundation, my guy, Danny Mosby. Mosby played for the Cards under Ron Cooper and John L. Smith. In the new era of NIL (Name, Image, and Likeness) and kids being recruited as young as middle school, Man is certainly one to keep our eye on throughout the next several years.
Ironically, what I like about him most, has nothing to do with his athleticism, I’ll get to that in a moment. What’s best about this kid, is he is genuinely one of the nicest kids you’ll ever meet, and he does very little trash talking on social media. What’s more is out of what I’ve seen from him on both the gridiron and basketball court, he is quick as heck, physical, and an absolute dog! Every single time that I get a chance to see him play, he’s setting the tone from play one, on offense and defense, with his physical presence. Could he be the first dual sport athlete for the Cardinal since Josh Chichester or Joshua Tinch? That remains to be seen. However, in a world of kids focusing on one sport all year long, Man has an old school approach and is using multiple sports to develop certain skill sets of the other sports. Based on the results he’s getting, it’s working.
Christian Academy of Louisville seems to be loading up for the future. They not only have a great varsity sports program, but also a very talented group of middle school kids, in almost every sport, especially football and basketball. In fact, they won their first 6th grade Kentucky Middle State Championship last season, and Man was of course a key cog in that wheel. He also plays AAU Basketball with Rondo Elite, (NBA’s Rajon Rondo’s AAU imprint) and that team has several great players that can go all night! I’ve seen a few basketball games, and those 2028 and 2029 teams are fun to watch!
Football wise, I’ve secretly sat in on a few of his games as well, and he’s definitely the type of kid that deflects positive attention to his team, while also taking accountability for any mistake made by himself or his teammates. That’s the sign of a true leader, even at an early age. You can tell that he has been coached very well over the years, and by the current CAL coaching staff. He also has an amazing set of parents and support that help him stay focused. Not to mention he’s grown up around and been influenced by the likes of UofL greats Deion Branch, Chris Redman, Jamon Brown, Zek Parker, Damien Dorsey, Arnold Jackson, and more. He almost has no other option but to be great. And unlike most younger kids, he has enormous respect for those that come before him.
Lastly, I’ll speak to his work ethic and production. I’ve already mentioned that he’s a three sport athlete, which is almost impossible these days in terms of time management. However, according to social media posts, Man also has vigorous 6 am workouts prior to school, and then football practice in the afternoon, which even motivates me to get out and grind even harder. So, I can imagine the effects he’s having on his friends and teammates. That kind of work ethic and leadership is infectious.
This past Tuesday, Man played with a broken bone in his hand against a very tough opponent. He had multiple big plays, including the games only touchdown. However, his biggest play was a game-saving tackle in which he came from the other side of the field, took the proper angle, and brought down the other team’s star player. As I watched over and over as that play unfolded, what stood out is not only his physical talents, but his football awareness; he knew the proper angle to take. His desire to make the play and not leave it up to any other teammate is a trait that is maybe even more impressive. It’s as if he knew winning or losing that game, hinged on him making that particular play. Those that truly know football at the youth level especially, and heck even at the high school and college levels, know it’s very hard to get those not involved in the play to take the proper pursuit angle, and give extreme effort when not involved in the play. Cards Fans we don’t have to look any further than the screen pass against Syracuse last Saturday. Man already has the kind of effort and IQ that we are praying our Cardinals display against Central Florida this weekend, and hope to get on a consistent basis the remainder of this season.
This kid is obviously well ahead of his age in terms of development, and a very mature and conditioned athlete. I can say with confidence that those 6 am work outs were well on display in Man’s last game, and are paying off. Let us continue to keep an eye out for him. I’ll share when I can, and let’s give him our support, because this kid works extremely hard and is just different. Give him a follow on IG @midrange_man and on Facebook @Man Robinson, and also @midrange_man on Twitter, and run those followers up! @ULFBRecruiting let’s keep this home grown talent at home where he belongs!
