The 2024 NFL Draft is here, making it an excellent time to highlight some of the class' best players with scouting reports. Each report will include strengths, weaknesses and background information.
Here's our report on Justin Rogers.
Justin Rogers 2024 NFL COMBINE RESULTS
- Height: 6-foot-2 1/2
- Weight: 330
- 40-yard dash: Did Not Participate
- 10-yard split: DNP
- Vertical jump: 24.5"
- Broad jump: 8'3"
Justin Rogers 2024 NFL DRAFT SCOUTING REPORT
STRENGTHS
- A big, strong defender with very good size to play either nose tackle in 3-4 or 1-Technique defensive tackle in a 4-3 defensive scheme.
- Natural strength due to sheer size allows him to push the pocket at times, which affects the quarterback's comfort
- Uses hands at the point of contact to disengage from blocks and generate penetration and pressure
- Strong anchor ability to hold his ground at the point of contact in the run game to minimize movement off LOS
- Solid short-area quickness when penetrating gaps to disrupt the run game by beating blockers across their face
- A quick first step with a good swim moves to quickly beat blocks on run plays where the blocker fires off the ball
- Good understanding and execution on interior stunts with how to attack blockers and gaps with proper angles
WEAKNESSES
- Squatty stance and measured burst off the ball limit his ability to get off and generate quick penetration.
- He plays upright, high at times as a pass rusher, preventing him from getting a push (high pad level/poor leverage)
- Measured pass rusher who lacks the quick twitch or lateral quickness to beat blocks with movement, struggles to fight off blocks once engaged as a pass rusher.
NFL TRANSITION
Rogers is a big-bodied, strong interior player who played primarily as the nose tackle in 3-4 fronts or 1-technique in 4-3 fronts due to his size and strength. He's best suited as an early down nose tackle or defensive tackle who can plug the interior in the run game and create occasional pressure by pushing the pocket on early down passes.
He is a strong anchor at the point of contact in the run game to hold his ground and prevent movement by blockers. Rogers did a good job of holding his ground and getting off the block on Georgia center Sedrick Van Pran, who is projected to be a Day 2 pick, for a tackle. He is a strong run defender who utilizes his size, strength and hands to control blockers and work off blocks well. He can control the interior of the LOS.
Overall, Rogers’ ability to defend the run by plugging the middle makes him a valuable piece of an NFL rotation. He will have a chance to contribute early in his career if drafted by the right team with a scheme that can utilize his size and strength to clog the interior on early downs, stopping the run.
Because of his impact in defending the run, Rogers will likely be a Day 3 pick who will provide immediate depth on the defensive front. He can potentially become a quality early-down contributor who defends the run as his career progresses.
OTHER NOTES
Rogers came out of Oak Park, Mich., as a four-star recruit and ranked 76th in the nation across all positions (11th ranked DT). He had 25 sacks as a senior in high school.
In his last two seasons at Kentucky (2021-2022), Rogers was very productive, playing 648 defensive snaps as a rotational player with 52 total tackles, four TFLs and two sacks.
In 2023, Rogers was again a rotational interior lineman for Auburn, with 357 defensive snaps. He totaled 22 tackles with three TFLs and one sack. 305 of his 357 defensive snaps were on first and second downs, speaking to his use in early downs and normal down and distance situations to help defend the run.
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