On The Plains with Jahquez Robinson: Former rival ‘happy to be at Auburn’

AUBURN, Ala. – For Jahquez Robinson, his favorite player growing up was always Cam Newton. He had Newton’s cleats, and he always picked him as his player on X-Box. 

However, despite Newton being his favorite player, Robinson didn’t choose Auburn initially when he came out of high school. Instead, he picked the school that happens to be Auburn’s biggest rival – Alabama. 

Four years later, after playing three seasons with the Crimson Tide and last season at Colorado, the Jacksonville, Florida, product found his way to Auburn – joining the Tigers this summer as a graduate transfer. 

“I have a lot of ties to Auburn,” Robinson said. “A couple of guys from Jacksonville that came here, Jeff Holland and (Javarius) Davis, I used to watch them play all the time. Antonio Kite, I’m real familiar with him. He loved it here, so that’s what played into my decision.” 

Even his favorite teacher back at Sandalwood High in Florida, Susan Bailey, was a huge Auburn fan. 

“When I was committed to Alabama at the time and we lost (to Auburn), she pinned an Auburn shirt on me and took a picture,” Robinson recalled.

But the main reason Robinson transferred to the Plains was Charles Kelly, Auburn’s new co-defensive coordinator and safety coach. Kelly recruited Robinson out of high school while he was coaching at Alabama, and from Tuscaloosa (2020-22) to Boulder (2023) to Auburn (2024), Robinson has followed Kelly every step of the way.

 

It would be an understatement to say that Robinson has had a unique career, having been coached first by Nick Saban and then last year by Deion “Prime” Sanders. 

“They are kind of similar in how they approach the game of football,” Robinson said. “Everything is effort driven, everything is ‘Get to the ball.’ Coach Saban would always say, ‘Five hard steps.’ Coach Prime would say, ‘You won’t play if you don’t get to the ball.’ I feel like they are both very knowledgeable of the game.” 

Apart from his previous coaches, Robinson has another unique connection to football with an uncle, Laveranues Coles, who played wide receiver at Florida State and in the NFL for 11 seasons.  

When Robinson began playing football at age 8, he was told by a coach that he did not have good ball skills. At the time, he didn’t know what that meant. But it was his uncle, Coles, who coached him up and helped him understand what they were talking about. 

“After that, it became one of the staples of my game,” Robinson said. “All the coaches told me that I had great ball skills, and I was able to say that it was because of my uncle.” 

 

Watching his uncle play the sport he loved while providing for his family at the same time gave Robinson the dream to pursue football. As the oldest of six children, his family is what drives him to be a better player every day. 

“For me, I want my siblings to be able to do what they want,” Robinson said. “If they want to play a sport, they can play that. A lot of bad stuff has been happening where I’m from, and I don’t want them to have to worry about that. I want to get them out of their situation. I want to give my family financial freedom to do what they want and need to do.” 

Robinson earned his degree in finance from Alabama in just three years. Football might have been what led him to Alabama, but he realized during his time there the importance of obtaining a degree. He still remembers when Saban would ask him why he was spending so much time in study hall. 

When Robinson first entered the transfer portal and went to Colorado, the plan was to go to the NFL after one season. He enjoyed a solid season at Colorado and even gave former Auburn quarterback and Heisman Trophy finalist Bo Nix his first interception of the season, but plans changed for Robinson and he ended up at Auburn instead. 

“I am definitely happy to be here,” he said. “I told my mom the second time I entered the portal that I wanted to be back in the SEC. I feel a lot more comfortable down here. All the guys have been real welcoming. It’s not like, ‘He’s the new guy trying to take my spot.’ It’s more like, ‘Let me help you do this, show you how to do this.’ It’s like family around here.”

The coaching staff has been welcoming, too, especially head coach Hugh Freeze. 

“I feel like Coach Freeze is a lot more personable than my last two coaches,” Robinson said. “He’s out there on the field. He always stops to say, ‘Hey man, good to have you here.’” 

Having played three seasons at Alabama, it’s only fitting that Robinson will return to Tuscaloosa in November for this year’s Iron Bowl. 

“With how much I have scrimmaged and played there, it will feel like playing at home for me,” he said. “I just want to go out and beat Bama.” 

More than anything, though, Robinson wants to help return Auburn to its winning ways. 

“I want to make a mark on this program and turn it around,” he said. “I used to watch Cam Newton all the time. I know Auburn has the ability to win. They’ve always had the players. It’s just adding this play here and that play there. I want to be the one to see that change and be a help in that change.” 

This year, Robinson will finally get to fulfill one of his boyhood dreams and play where Cam Newton played. And to that, he says, ‘War Eagle!’”