By:
Giustino Racchini
Thursday, July 31, 2025 | 2:33 PM
Christopher Horner | TribLive
McKeesport’s Javien Robinson (left) battles for possession of a pass with Peters Township’s PJ Luke on Friday, Aug. 30, 2024, at Peters.
Most high school football teams don’t have a four-star recruit who will grace the field this season.
McKeesport, however, will feature four-star teammates Javien Robinson and Kemon Spell, two of the nation’s top juniors who will play alongside one other.
Spell was profiled earlier this month as a member of the Trib HSSN preseason football all-star team, so it’s time to shed some light on one of the best receivers in the WPIAL.
Robinson uses his abilities on and off the gridiron to fine tune his skills at the position.
“I’m doing the Junior Olympics track event this summer,” Robinson said. “I’ve been in Texas this whole week and already ran the 200-meter dash and then I have the 4-by-4 and 4-by-1 relays coming up.”
Robinson has blazing speed on the track with a 22.15 second time in the 200 and 11.02 mark in the 100. He was the WPIAL Class 3A runner-up in the 200 last spring. That speed adds to his abilities on the football field.
Last season, he helped McKeesport make a run to the WPIAL championship game, where the Tigers fell short against Thomas Jefferson. The expectations are for the Tigers to return to the district final and leave with a trophy.
“I have us winning the WPIAL championship the year and also making it to states,” said Robinson, who has drawn Division I offers from Pitt, Rutgers and Syracuse, among others. “This year’s team will be more successful I feel because the chemistry from this year to last is just different.”
Robinson realized at a young age he had elite abilities to catch a football. All of the men in his family pushed him through the journey to play the sport.
“When I was 11, I used to be a running back,” Robinson said. “It’s when I realized how fast I was and how good I catch that I made the switch to receiver.”
Robinson had eight catches for 174 yards and two touchdowns as a big-place receiver and downfield threat last season for the run-heavy Tigers. Heading into the 2025 season, he wants to be more than just a go-route guy.
“I have a lot of abilities to make moves, not just as the deep threat guy,” said Robinson, who also picked off two passes and made 11 tackles as a cornerback. “I’m hoping to develop a better route tree this season and get to the open field quicker.”
Javien Robinson
McKeesport
Junior
6-foot-2, 190 pounds
WR/CB
Stars: 4
2024 statistics: 8 catches, 174 yards, 2 TDs
Division I offers: Akron, Pitt, Rutgers, Syracuse, Temple, UConn, Duquesne, Sacramento State
Highlights: Hudl
Tags: McKeesport