CANTON, Ohio — Miami University standout football player Dominique Robinson hopes to make his dream a reality at the NFL Draft. 

When two Ohio high schools, McKinley and Timken, merged in 2015, one of football coach Dan Reardon’s first tasks was to convince star player Dominique Robinson to continue playing football and not just focus on basketball. 

“Really, from April until July, he was kind of holding true to that and then, finally made the decision to come back to the football field and the rest is history, so to speak,” said Reardon, who’s now the head coach at Ursuline High School in Youngstown. 

The star athlete and scholar would play at Miami University as a quarterback. Robinson would change his position to wide receiver before moving to defensive end.

After finding plenty of success as a pass rusher, NFL scouts are giving him attention. 

“Scot Loeffler, who’s head coach of Bowling Green now, Scott was the quarterbacks coach at Boston College back then. We went to the Boston College camp and I think Dominique may have set a record for most positions that the staff asked him to work at because they weren’t sure exactly,” said Reardon. “They just knew he was a big, physical specimen and wanted so see where he would fit. So, he worked out as a receiver, as a tight end, as a quarterback, as a defensive end, as a linebacker and as a safety. All within one camp, which is highly unusual, to say the least.”

Reardon’s son now plays for the RedHawks and was Robinson’s teammate. Reardon said he has seen him grow and excel not just on the gridiron, but also in the classroom. He said Robinson has put the work in every step of the way. 

“When he went away to school and would come back home for weekends or spring break or summer break or whatever, you know, he was coming to the weight room every single day and working his butt off and you know, he’s a driven, motivated kid who comes from a great family, really well-grounded and you know, he knows how to work, he knows how to attack the process of being successful,” Reardon said. 

As Robinson waits for his name to be called in the NFL Draft, his coach couldn’t be more excited to see the dream come true. 

“I’m going to have a big smile on my face. I’m very, very proud,” said Reardon. “You know, it’s always fun when someone you have a connection to, coach or teacher, whatever, has a chance to realize their dreams.”

According to NFL analyst Lance Zierlein, Robinson is a projected to go in the third or fourth rounds.