While Neiko Robinson was expected to be one of the top players for the Northview Chiefs this season, he had to sit out the first four games.

While Neiko waited to play, his younger brother Neino Robinson filled in for him in certain ways.

“I wanted to go out there and do the best I can, but I didn’t feel that much pressure,” Neino Robinson said. “I just wanted to go out there and show everybody what I can do and just be a big player.”

He certainly came up big, one of the best special teams’ players for the Chiefs with electric runs during punt returns. Additionally, Neino was outstanding at defensive back and a key wide receiver as well.

Asked what accounts for his special teams abilities, Neino found it difficult to pinpoint.

“I really don’t know,” he said. “I think it’s my vision and I’m very quick and explosive. So, I just use that the best of my ability and I just make big things happen on special teams.”

Even though Neiko sometimes receives more attention, neither of the brothers is upset by it.

“He gets much more of the spotlight, but we both share the wealth,” Neino said. “That’s my brother, so I want the best for him and he wants the best for me.”

The two brothers have been playing together from a young age and have known some of the players at Northview for some time now, too.
“It’s been a great experience for me and him,” Neino said. “We’ve been playing together ever since we were little, ever since Pee Wee. I’ve been playing with a lot of these guys out here. It’s always been fun playing with these guys, especially my brother.”

Neino said transitioning from Flomaton High School to Northview High School has been seamless.

He maintains a close relationship with head coach Sid Wheatley. When Neino first got to Northview, Wheatley sat down with Neino before the season began and they had a long talk about plans and goals. Neino said Wheatley has helped him through any challenges he’s faced.

No doubt part of the reason Neino plays multiple positions has to do with his playmaking abilities, but he said he’ll play wherever the coaches want him to play. He just wants to make big plays, regardless of the position assignment. Despite making quite a few dazzling plays, Neino said the best is yet to come.

“I think the season has gone well,” he said. “I know I haven’t played my best or we haven’t played our best. The coaches always say you want to play good. Some people may say ‘y’all played good,’ but to us, we always want to get better. So, that’s just something me and my team are doing right now.”

For now, Neino and his team are focused on one goal, a goal they’ve been working hard at for some time: winning a state championship.

“I think I’m going to have a pretty good playoff performance and I know my team’s going to have a great performance,” he said. “We’ve been working hard all summer and working hard all through the season to get to where we want to be and that’s win a state championship and hopefully that’ll happen.”

Neiko has a scholarship to play for Penn State next fall. While Neino hasn’t received an abundance of scholarship offers yet, he’ll likely see some before long.

“I haven’t heard from many schools this year because I was a sophomore last year, so it’s still early,” Neino said. “Hopefully that’ll change. I believe it will.”