A lot was expected of Ellis Robinson IV when he committed to the Georgia Bulldogs as their top rated recruit in the 2023 recruiting class. To be fair, maybe a little bit too much was put on the shoulders of the redshirt freshman cornerback out of IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla., but everyone thought he more than deserved it.
Ty Simpson and the Crimson Tide however picked on the young pup the first time these two teams met on Sep. 25, on their way to 276 passing yards and two touchdowns through the air.
But this time around, as the No. 3 Bulldogs square off with the No. 10 Alabama Crimson Tide in the SEC Championship on Saturday. Alabama offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb and head coach Kalen DeBoer however might want to think twice before challenging a now salty defensive back who has improved by leaps and bounds in the nearly three months since their first meeting.
Ellis Robinson IV had to deal with a steeper learning curve than many expected
It was obvious that Robinson had all the physical tools to be a dynamic defensive back for the Dawgs. They don't rate anyone as one of the best players in the country if they haven't shown the type of ball skills that he did in high school.
Robinson flashed on tape covering wide receivers like white on rice with elite footwork, body control, speed, and high-ball instincts. His incredible length and wingspan allow him to get to balls for pass break-ups and interceptions that most others just can't get to.
He was so natural that many thought that he would just use his athletic ability to leap right over the learning curve that comes with the step up from high school to Saturdays in the SEC. But that didn't happen.
Robinson has learned on the fly this season and is vastly improved
After hardly seeing the field his freshman season last year, Robinson IV was thrust into a starting role opposite Daylen Everette in 2025. For a few games early on, it appeared that perhaps the talented youngster still wasn't ready for primetime as he struggled with finding the ball in the air, which resulted in several defensive pass interference calls.
The Alabama game this Saturday will mark his 13th game of the season and is nine games from the last time he was tested by Bama's aerial attack. He is a much different player now than he was in the fall.
Robinson IV leads the Dawg defense with four interceptions, including a beautiful pick of Haynes King in the 16-9 win over Georgia Tech in Clean, Old-Fashioned Hate.
Ellis Robinson got UP for this interception…📈 pic.twitter.com/MZbND8XKAV
— Saturdayinathensga (@saturdayinath) December 1, 2025
Has anyone noticed how they don't hear his name called much anymore unless he is registering a pass breakup or an interception? His technique has improved dramatically during the Bulldogs' gauntlet through the SEC schedule. He is no longer just trying to face guard opposing wide receivers and is instead positioning himself to make plays on the ball.
When Georgia stuffs Bama's mediocre run game, they will test Robinson IV
When Alabama running backs Jam Miller and Daniel Hill get stuffed early, Grubb and Simpson will try their luck against Robinson IV again in yet another rematch game, but they will do so at their own peril. The cornerback who will wear number 1 on Saturday is a far superior defensive back than the one they saw in September.
Whether he matches up with Bernard, Horton, or Ryan Williams, they will be in for a dogfight now that Robinson IV appears to have turned the corner and is starting to slide down the other side of that learning curve.