Robinson Tries To Live His Dream With Hometown Team
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- Alexander Robinson took some reps Saturday night as the Minnesota Vikings took on the Tennessee Titans in their first preseason game.
He was an undrafted free agent who started carrying the football a mile away from the Metrodome over at DeLaSalle High School. Now, the Metrodome is a place he would like to return to in an NFL uniform this fall.
It's a place he said he did not expect to be.
"I didn't see it coming at all. I actually had a tryout with another team and I was headed down to Rochester to see my newborn niece, my brother's daughter," Robinson said. "I was on my way down there and my agent called me and told me a team wanted to sign me. When he said it was the Vikings, I said let's go ahead and do it."
He knew enough about the team, growing up here and dominating opponents his senior season at DeLaSalle High School. It's a place that will always be near and dear to his heart.
"It was fun, it was definitely a lot of fun," Robinson said. "We passed out shirts during our camp there that said 'Islander family,' and that's really what it is. It's really a family because a lot of alumni come back whether it be football or basketball. Through college and the pros, everyone stuck together and stayed in contact."
He blossomed in college at Iowa State, maturing as a running back in the Big 12 Conference as well as a young man.
"It was definitely fun. My time at Iowa State helped me grow a lot," Robinson said. "I had some troubles and tribulations while I was down there, but it definitely helped me grow both on the field and off the field."
Now he's in the big leagues, and this training camp matters.
"Yeah he has a chance," said Vikings Coach Leslie Frazier. "He's a kid and we're looking forward to seeing how he does Saturday night when he gets in the ball game."
But the true victory is that he is where he wants to be. He's living a dream for his hometown team.
"It's surreal. It's definitely a dream come true," Robinson said.
