Darreus Rogers, WR: A Good Possession WR But Slow. Can He Play In The NFL?

Darreus Rogers, WR
School: USC | Conference: PAC-12
College Experience: RS Senior | Age: 23
Height / Weight: 6-1 / 216 lbs
Projected Draft Status: Late Rounds
NFL Comparison: DeMarcus Robinson

College Statistics

Player Overview

Darreus Rogers was recruited by several PAC-12 schools (and Miami) coming out of high school. The WR prospect has excellent size and a sturdy build. The Compton, CA native chose to stay close to him though and committed to USC. He was just an average contributor in USC’s offense his first three years but really became a legit threat in the offense his senior season. It's somewhat unexpected for Rogers for several reasons: for one Rogers played with two quarterbacks this year in Max Brown and Sam Darnold which created some continuity issues in the USC offense for a short period. Rogers is also not a good athlete. He isn’t blazing fast, he isn't super quick, and he can’t jump. He can catch the football, drag, and power through defenders though and looks the part of a potentially very reliable possession receiver at the next level that can produce for a team for a few years. I hesitate to compare him to players like Anquan Boldin or Pierre Garcon because those are more dynamic but Rodgers does have the strength, power, and attitude of those guys which gives him a shot of being WR4/5 on a team.

Strengths

• Great size and well built for the position with obvious strength and power.
• Uses his size and strength to his advantage can box out defenders and create space using his frame compensating for his below average athleticism. Has the strength to snatch balls away from defenders.
• Excellent hands, a natural receiver that can pluck it out of the air with a large catch radius.
• Willing and able blocker.

Weaknesses

• Below average athlete for the position. Slow. There is something to work with in his physicality but he’s not going to beat many matchups in the NFL based on his speed and quickness.
• Route running and selling nuance needs work. He’s loose and not refined.
• Likely just a possession receiver at the next level with marginal impact.

Let’s see his work:

How He Would Fit On The Redskins

Rogers plays a lot better on the field than his athletic testing would suggest. At his pro day, Rogers improved his vertical by 2.5 inches and did two more reps on the bench than he completed at the combine. He turned in a terrible 40 time of 4.85 which highlights his athletic issues. Speed and quickness aren’t everything for a WR but they are a core part of separation a key to what makes a receiver successful. Rogers is reliable at catching the ball and has the physicality to make some plays where others can't but his issues with his speed and burst have pretty much pegged him as a special teams player and at best WR4/5 with limited production. As much as I enjoyed watching him I can't see him outright beating a player like Maurice Harris to gain a roster spot though possible. He is a better player, but I can’t help but think of what happened to De’Runnya Wilson last year out of Mississippi State when he bombed his 40 time at the combine. Wilson went undrafted. The same is possible for Rogers. He will have to perform excellently on special teams to get a shot on an NFL roster.