Draft buzz: Auburn DL Justin Rogers accepts NFL Combine invite
Auburn senior defensive lineman Justin Rogers has been invited to the NFL Combine and has accepted the invite. Pritchett will perform and be tested at the best showcase for the NFL on Feb. 29 – Mar. 3.
Rogers, in three years and 26 games at Kentucky, had 61 tackles, 5 tackles for loss, and 3 sacks. In one season at Auburn, Rogers had 17 tackles, 2 tackles for loss, and 1 sack.
Rogers is currently the No. 30 ranked defensive lineman in the 2024 NFL Draft according to nfldraftbuzz.com.
Strengths and weaknesses
STRENGTHS
- Rogers has a wide base and a low center of gravity to hold his ground, as well as the upper-body strength to shed blockers.
- Provides some secondary interior pass rush, getting most penetration when playing three technique.
- He’s very instinctive when it comes to countering and solid with overall hand usage.
- Combines strength and footwork to fill holes inside, as well. Recovers from cut blocks or falling on his way to make a tackle.
- He shows impressive burst and enough quickness to occasionally threaten the edge as a pass rusher.
- Rogers has the strong core and powerful hands to shed blockers, and Rogers shows excellent instincts with the ability to quickly locate the ball.
WEAKNESSES
- Lacks closing speed and inconsistent quickness off the snap prevents him from being an elite pass rusher.
- Rogers doesn’t have a lot of suddenness to his game, and Rogers won’t wreck plays on a regular basis.
- Rogers struggles with leverage off the snap and plays too tall, limiting his effectiveness as a pass rusher.
More on the 2024 NFL Draft
The 2024 NFL Draft will be held in Detroit, Michigan, with the first round on Thursday, April 25, the second and third rounds on Friday, April 26, and the fourth through seventh rounds on Saturday, April 27.
Players will have the opportunity to solidify their draft stock at the 2024 NFL Scouting Combine, to be held in Indianapolis, Indiana from February 26 through March 4.
The three-day event will be broadcasted throughout the weekend on ESPN and NFL Network.
To be eligible for the NFL Draft, players must be at least three years removed from their final year of high school while having used up their collegiate eligibility. Underclassmen are able to request league approval to become eligible for the draft, as are players who have graduated prior to using up all of their collegiate eligibility.
Last season, 69 players were granted special eligibility for the 2023 NFL Draft. 13 underclassmen who had completed their college degrees were also deemed eligible to be selected.
The deadline to declare for the 2024 NFL Draft is on January 15. NFL teams will receive a full list of eligible players in the class on January 19.
