Deljuan Back on the Move

After being named as the Rivals100 top rated defensive end in the nation last year, things looked very bright for Deljuan Robinson as he signed a letter of intent to play for Mississippi State. A heart murmur, however, forced the gentle giant to undergo heart surgery over the summer. Deljuan talks about the surgery, his thoughts, and his future.

Deljuan Talks About His Surgery

"I had open heart surgery and they repaired a leaky valve," he said. Early in the process Deljuan was really not sure what was being done to him, and is still a little unclear about the procedure.

"I really can't explain it, now," he said. "All I know, to be honest with you, is I had surgery. I don't want to say anything that would be wrong, but they repaired, if I'm not wrong, the aorta valve.

"It was open heart surgery. They cut me right down the middle, and they split me open. I don't know what procedure they took, but as far as I know, they cut me down the middle, and they did split the chest bone.

"They put a wire back around it, and it is supposed to be twice as strong as it was. It is supposed to heal back completely."

Although recuperating nicely, he still has some discomfort from the surgery. "Sometimes I will be around the house, and I do little things, and I get very sore, and I don't sleep too well," he said.

"Sometimes I sleep with a pillow across my arms and chest. I slept like that a long time with a fluffy pillow between my arms, because my chest was kind of hurting. I slept on my back, of course."

Things are getting better for him, though. "I am doing pretty good," he said. "I am just sore. When I first had it I needed help getting up and everything. Everything is doing okay and I am expected to play ball again.

"I am expecting a full recovery. That is what I am going through now, and I believe when the time comes I am going to play ball again, and I think I am going to be able to play at the level I played at in high school. I may even elevate my game a little more."

The Road To Recovery

So when does Deljuan expect to back in the saddle? "They are saying eight weeks, and I have been back to the doctor, but I haven’t had a doctor to tell me I could start lifting. I did have a doctor tell me I could do a little light lifting.

"I have started doing a little walking, but I haven’t started trying to jog or anything, because I don’t want to try to overdo it. Pretty soon I should be able to lift weights, if I start out very light and just work my way back up, like lift weights today and don’t lift the next day.

"I am very thankful just to be doing okay, but if it doesn’t work out for me to play ball again, then I had a good prep career, and some people just wish to have a good prep career, but I believe I am going to play ball again."

Even the Strongest Get Tested

Although Deljuan tried to remain strong, his fears began to creep in as his surgery approached. "I will be honest with you, that morning, I was trying to be the tough guy, because I know how my mom is, and I was just going to play it off," Deljuan commented on the events leading up to the surgery. "But as time was winding down for them to take me back, I was kind of getting kind of quiet. I was kind of scared, but I just had faith in God, that he was going to take care of me.

"This was a scary situation, no doubt about it, a guy that young having something like that being done to him. But all the time I was in the hospital I just had family members and people like that, my friends. I had so many visitors every day and letters giving me encouragement to take care of me and let me know that everything was going to be okay."

His friends and family continue to help him improve mentally. "It’s hard for me not to be playing football in the fall, but I just go back to the high school and work with the guys over there. I just sit back and help out the guys at Hernando.

"I talk to (MSU cornerback and former Hernando High teammate) Kevin (Dockery) almost every day. No doubt about it he is ready to get me back with him...we are partners. That’s how we work."

Deljuan’s thoughts on MSU’s Season

"I’ve been watching them pretty close," Deljuan commented on his favorite college team. "They look good at times, but when you turn the ball over like that things happen to you.

"They’ve been playing some good ball teams, now. They played Auburn good that first quarter, and they played LSU good the first quarter. I just don’t think they came out with the enthusiasm they came out with in the first quarter or the second quarter.

"The big 12 has some big names and the ACC has some big names, but when it boils down to it, the SEC is the real deal. You got to come with you’re 'A' game every Saturday. In the SEC, I don’t care if it’s Vandy or whoever it’s a tough team. I don’t care who it is, somebody can beat somebody every week."

The Bulldogs’ losing streak has not affected Deljuan’s loyalty. "To be honest with you their losing really doesn’t bother me," he said. "I mean it has to bother you but you got to just go out there and take care of your business and all that other stuff will fall in place.

"I am just going to take care of my business and just be as big of help to the team as I can be. If they need me to do this or however it goes, I am just going to play my part. That is really all you can do, and things should just come together if you do your part. That’s how I see it.

"Everybody goes through hard times, but that is football for you, you know. If you can’t take the lumps you are not much of a football player.

"They are down, but you got to continue the fight. I f you continue the fight good things are going to happen or you. It is not looking very good, but you got to just take it and roll with it. Everybody has to take their period of losing, but I think they are going to take their turn back on top with the young guys they got."

Deljuan’s Plans Remain the Same

"Right now I am just taking it easy at home, and I am supposed to report to school in January, and as time goes by I am just ready to work back in the motion, and be ready to go this spring," Deljuan said.

"I am still a State player. I talked to the coaches and everything is supposed to be as it was."

Although projected as a defensive lineman, Deljuan still has aspirations of playing his high school position at the next level: linebacker. "I still kind of want to play linebacker, but I am going to play where they need me at," he said.

"I’m looking forward to it. I am ready for some big time ball. I played in some all star games and I think I did pretty good. I played mostly offense and I played some defense. I am ready to show them that I am a good defensive player, but I can play where they ask me to play."

Closing Thoughts

Deljuan Robinson has gone through some things that many of us can only imagine, all at the ripe old age of 18, yet he continues to hold his head up. His positive attitude and disposition are an inspiration to everyone around him. People like this only make people around them better, so look for him to make a positive impact, both physically and mentally, at the next level.