Justin Rogers OLB/ILB
Here's the Sports Xchange scouting report, as listed on NFL.com:
"Positives: Well-built with smooth muscle definition and good growth potential … Jason Taylor-type (Miami) with good short-area speed … Fires low off the snap to gain leverage and control his blockers … Shows good body agility, using his hands forcefully to shed … Works well in closed quarters, wrapping the ball carrier properly … Explodes instantly into the backfield, battling all the way to push the pocket … Has an effective hand punch to jolt opponents back and uses an arm-over technique coming off the edge on the pass … Excels on stunts, playing with his hand down wide to the open side to get after the quarterback quickly … Has that explosive initial burst and long arms to seal off the outside rush … Has good inside counter moves off his bull rush and adequate recovery speed … Plays with good leverage to prevent blockers from containing him … Has the short-area agility to penetrate the line, collapse the pocket and pressure the quarterback.
Negatives: Lacks overall strength to prevent blockers from locking-on and riding him wide … Plays more cautious in run support than vs. the pass, preferring to contain the play rather than step up to initiate the tackle … His lack of bulk causes larger blockers to cover him up and push him around in traffic, making him a better candidate for strongside linebacker at the next level … A little stiff moving in the open field … Despite his quickness, he shows inconsistencies playing off the edge while in a three-point stance, feeling more comfortable standing upright.
Compares To: Juqua Thomas, Philadelphia -- Rogers is best served playing off the line of scrimmage, where he can accelerate quicker and attack from the outside shoulder of the offensive tackle rather than trying to shoot the inside gaps … He has a good motor in pursuit working in the short area, but has some tightness in his hips that could cause him to struggle some in his pass drops."
"In 44 games at Southern Methodist, Rogers started 26 times as a defensive end. He made 183 tackles (117 solos) with 19.5 sacks for minus-152 yards, 32 stops for losses of 184 yards and five quarterback pressures. He caused five fumbles, deflected two passes, blocked one kick and registered a safety."
I should point out that when they talk about him lacking bulk they mean for DE, not LB (he's size is great for a LB), and everything they say about him makes him sound like a 3-4 LB. I've also had multiple sources from Texas who have watched Justin play tell me they believe he's a good late round sleeper for NE.
Justin Rogers Scouting Report
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