Brian Robinson Jr. can list the influences like an upstart singer-songwriter who just landed their first record deal.

He has been around long enough to have gotten to know Derrick Henry. He played behind Bo Scarbrough, Damien Harris, Josh Jacobs and Najee Harris. He sat in the guest presentations of Kobe Bryant, Mike Tyson and Alex Rodriguez as part of coach Nick Saban’s ongoing team speaker series.

Robinson has been a part of two national titles. The Tuscaloosa native experienced four more as a kid; his most cherished childhood memory of Bama football is watching the 2009 title team go 14-0.

His entire universe has been colored crimson. And in an era of transfer portal activity and instant gratification, he bided his time. Waited his turn.

It’s here.

“I worked my whole life for this opportunity,” Robinson said. “I did everything I could to get to this point.”

Patience. Persistence. If not for COVID-19, Robinson wouldn’t even be here.

But he decided to take full advantage of the NCAA’s extra year of eligibility. Robinson was dynamic while spelling Harris, but his value at the next level only stands to increase with a year as RB1.

“I’m extremely grateful to have had an opportunity to come back for an extra year,” Robinson said. “I didn’t think it would turn out the way it did, but I’m blessed for that opportunity.”

During the summer, Robinson tweeted “Never trip about a [sic] opportunity you haven’t received, focus on what you gonna do when it comes.”

That’s countercultural. But that’s Robinson.

Now, No. 4 has his eyes on joining the great Alabama running back lineage. Many of its members have inspired his journey.

Henry showed him how to prepare for practices and games while Robinson was being recruited out of Hillcrest High School. Scarbrough, Jacobs and Damien Harris taught him what a full season of first-team work is like. Last year, Robinson and Najee Harris formed a powerful duo, with Jacobs bringing a sizable amount of force when the Doak Walker Award winner needed a break.

“I really just learned the work process, how we need to go about working every single day to get what we want,” Robinson said. “Just being beside those guys and seeing them work hard every day and create opportunities for themselves (to get on) NFL rosters as they are right now, I just use that as motivation for me.”

But Robinson has his own style. Through or around, doesn’t really matter.

But there will be little finesse.

“I like to break tackles and make people miss,” Robinson said. “More than likely, I’ll be lowering my shoulder, dropping my pads. I’m not really a big hurdle guy; that’s not really part of my game, but I just do whatever I can to make plays, break tackles and make people miss.”

He did it well during spot duty last season, averaging more than 5 yards per carry on 91 attempts and scoring 6 touchdowns. He can catch the ball out of the backfield, too, which could provide a nice wrinkle for new offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien.

Robinson can return kicks, too. He’s been doing that and backing up the Tide’s starting back for the better part of 4 years.

It started right there in Tuscaloosa, where Robinson was born and raised. He was the state’s top running back prospect in 2017 and chose his hometown team over Auburn, Georgia and Mississippi.

Now, after 4 years of waiting, he’ll be counted on to help Alabama overcome the losses of Najee Harris, Mac Jones and Heisman winner DeVonta Smith. The Crimson Tide must replace 3 of 5 starters on the offensive line, too. And it all happens under the aegis of O’Brien’s new offensive philosophy.

That means plenty of opportunities to leave a legacy.

Such was the focus of those talks with the greatest in their professions. The Black Mamba, known for his tenacious practice habits and incessant insistence on perfection. The Baddest Man on the Planet, who fought the way Bryant played basketball. A-Rod, a Hall of Fame talent who played in the Majors for more than 2 decades.

They left an impression. Now Robinson plans to make his own.

“They left messages with us that were not only messages we can use in our everyday life but also messages that helped them perform at a high level and do the things in their careers to help them be successful,” Robinson said.