Greg Robinson, Aaron Donald

St. Louis Rams first-round draft picks Greg Robinson, right, and Aaron Donald pose for photographers during a news conference at the team's practice facility Tuesday, May 13, 2014, in St. Louis. Robinson, an offensive tackle from Auburn, was picked second overall and Donald, a defensive tackle from Pittsburgh, was taken 13th overall. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)

(Jeff Roberson)

--

Greg Robinson

is in a position to give back for the first time in his life, and he is not wasting any time to strengthen his roots.

The former Auburn offensive tackle signed an apparel deal with Nike recently and asked the company to help Thibodaux (La.) High, his former stomping grounds before Hurricane Katrina displaced his family in 2006.

"I told them, if anything, can they donate money to my school because we didn't have much," Robinson told reporters Tuesday in St. Louis. "The first opportunity I could to do something positive for the neighborhood or anywhere I came from, it's just a blessing to me and I'm happy to be in this position to where I could do something like that."

Robinson has not traveled to Thibodaux since he was picked by the St. Louis Rams with the second overall selection in the NFL Draft on Thursday, but he has heard stories from friends and family back home. His neighborhood apparently used a large projector to broadcast the draft on a basketball court last week.

"It's just crazy," Robinson said. "They blocked off the streets. It's a blessing."

The former Auburn star has not had much time to reflect on his selection in the draft and the millions of dollars he will soon receive as a top 5 selection -- not to mention an apparel deal and commercial for VISA -- but he did find some quiet time recently to think about his family and father,

Greg Blackledge

, who

in 2012.

"There were times I sat in my room and just thought about my dad," Robinson said Tuesday. "He hasn't seen me play a college football game and he's gone."

Robinson shared some laughs with the media Tuesday, making it a point to mention just how much bigger things seem to be in the NFL. He shared a brief anecdote about the time he tried to lean into his locker following a tough practice at Auburn. He didn't fit, but his 6-foot-5, 332-pound frame managed to slip into his new locker with the Rams.

"It's just a crazy feeling," Robinson said, soaking up the atmosphere.

Robinson will have to prove himself worthy of the high selection in the draft in the ensuing days, weeks and months as he gets his first shot at left guard with the Rams. NFL analysts speak often about Robinson's upside as a player and how raw he is after playing only two years of college football.

"I control that ceiling," he said. "It's just how much I want to learn. Going into with a positive attitude and trusting the coaches."