Wide Receiver
Charles Rogers
College: Michigan State
Year: Junior
Height: 6’4″
Weight: 208
Birthday: May 23, 1981
Strengths: Charles Rogers is the consummate game breaker. He is a player worth comparing to Randy Moss. Coming from Michigan State, Rogers is from a school that has produced several NFL receivers, including Plaxico Burress, Derrick Mason and Andre Rison. Pretty heady stuff, but in just his first season with playing time last year, Rogers compiled some really impressive numbers, so much so that they were etched in Michigan State’s record books. That was especially true in his last three games when he totaled 25 catches for 629 yards and two scores, plus another rushing TD. On the season, Rogers failed to score in just one of the twelve games he played.
Houston fans may remember Rogers as the guy who upstaged David Carr in his final bowl game. The Silicon Valley Classic was meant to showcase the Texans’ future number one pick – and Carr did have a nice game – but it was Rogers stealing the show with 10 receptions for 270 receiving yards, two scores, and most importantly, a victory.
Rogers is built like Moss, a lanky kid with inconspicuous strength and 4.34 speed. He spent much of the past offseason lifting weights and is said to have added another twelve pounds of muscle. There may not be another player in this draft that can stretch a defense like Rogers. Not only can he burn a defender deep, he can make a quick move on short routes and use his height and leaping ability to snare passes from the sky.
Areas for Concern: He was an academic partial qualifier entering Michigan State, falling just short on his ACT exam, so Rogers had to sit out his freshman season. He was able to hit the ground running as a sophomore because his high school grades were good enough to allow him to practice as a freshman with his Spartan teammates.
In Jeff Smoker, Rogers has a quarterback that can get him the ball downfield, but RB T.J. Duckett will not be back this fall to draw attention away from him. Unless the Spartans can establish a new running attack, opposing defenses may be able to focus more on Rogers and exploit some other, presently unknown, weaknesses.
How Would He Look in Steel Blue? Rogers would look like instant offense for the Texans.
According to the Detroit News, Rogers has made no secret of his intentions to leave school early for the 2003 draft. The Texans, like any other NFL team, could use an explosive player like Rogers. And unlike other underclassmen receivers, Rogers could have an immediate impact when he plays his first pro season next fall.
(profile written by Keith Weiland
)
Charles Rogers‘ 2001 Stats G CTH YDS AVG TD 11 57 1,200 21.1 12
Charles Rogers 
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