The problem with Robinson, is that regardless of what he did in college, he doesn't have the size to be a consistent force at the 4 position in the NBA..and he doesn't have the skills to play 3. He's smaller than Patrick Patterson.
If you don't have length, you better have a lot of girth and strength..or elite skills. He doesn't have any of those. It was really a bad pick.
To miss on Lillard, Drummond,..Leonard, Barnes, Clay Thompson. It's a bit mind boggeling
I'm not going to defend the pick on its merits, but size has nothing to do with it. Robinson is tall enough and athletic enough to be a good player in the league, and maybe someday, he may yet obtain that status. It has to do with skill level, which is where most of the criticism about Robinson came from. The word RAW, was used many times in discribing him. So it shouldn't have been a shock to anyone that he was going to take some time to develop. As far as Patterson being taller, its hardly a difference that I would brag about.
Patrick Patterson: 6'8" without shoes, 6'9.25" with shoes, 7'1.25" wingspan, and a 8'11" standing reach.
Thomas Robinson: 6'7.75" without shoes, 6'8.75" with shoes, 7'3.25" wingspan, and a 8'10" standing reach
Carl Landry: 6'7.75" without shoes, 6'8.50" with shoes, 6'11" wingspan
Kevin Love: 6'7.75" without shoes, 6'9.50" with shoes (you tell me), 6'11.25" wingspan
David Lee: 6'7.75" without shoes, 6'9" with shoes, 7'0" wingspan
Ersan LLyasova: 6'7.75" without shoes, 6'9" with shoes, 7'0" wingspan
Carlos Boozer: 6'7.75" without shoes, 6'9.50" with shoes (again, you tell me), 7'2.25" wingspan
Paul Milsap: 6'6.25" without shoes, 6'7.25" with shoes, 7'1.25" wingspan
Reggie Evans: 6'7.50" without shoes, 6'8.50" with shoes, 7'2.50" wingspan
All these players are undersized by your description, but all are productive, and in some cases, very productive players. So it has nothing to do with their size, but with how skilled they are. I grant you that none have the length to be shotblockers, but that can't be the only criteria for judging a player. Reggie Evans has made a living by playing defense and rebounding.