INDIANAPOLIS – Something about south Florida and Chuck Pagano's ability to recruit.
This week at the NFL's League Annual Meetings, Pagano was an hour north of his old college coaching grounds (the University of Miami).
Lunch on Tuesday though called for Pagano to put on his recruiting hat.
Pagano's lunch plans had an important guest.
Free agent cornerback Patrick Robinson sat across from the Colts head coach in Boca Raton, Fla.
A No. 2 cornerback was needed, and Robinson was Pagano's guy.
The bill hadn't even arrived before Robinson knew where he wanted to play football in 2016.
"To be honest, I was sold halfway through the conversation," Robinson said on Wednesday night, after signing with the Colts. "I already knew that I wanted to be a Colt.
"The conversation that we had was deep and I felt how genuine he was. I just had a gut feeling and went with it."
Earlier Tuesday in Boca, Pagano told the media at the AFC Coaches Breakfast that the Colts still needed to find a No. 2 cornerback.
His next meal of the day was all about accomplishing that task.
Robinson flew to Indianapolis on Tuesday night and visited the Indiana Farm Bureau Football Center on Wednesday.
The Colts will welcome the experience (74 games played, 43 starts) and versatility (ability to play outside and the nickel position) of Robinson.
Of his six NFL seasons, Robinson might have just had his finest campaign last year with the Chargers.
In San Diego, John Pagano (brother of Chuck) was Robinson's defensive coordinator and current Colts defensive backs coach Greg Williams was a secondary assistant.
Now, Williams hopes Robinson can replicate the eliminating he did in San Diego.
Robinson allowed 8.9 yards per catch last season, the least YPC of any NFL cornerback targeted at least 40 times in 2015.
While Robinson was a commodity for several teams through the first two weeks of free agency, the 28-year-old cornerback said the Colts' foundation of a perennial playoff team led to the pen on paper.
And, oh yeah, don't forget about that lunch with his new head coach.
"Sometimes you get that feeling, the guy that you are talking to, he's telling the truth," Robinson said of his time with Pagano.
"I got that feeling."
