Who is Eric Rogers?

Jaron Foster

Prior to Chip Kelly’s departure from Philadelphia, he represented the Eagles as one of 16 teams scouting a 6-foot-4, 215-pound wide receiver from the Canadian Football League (CFL). Kelly’s change in allegiance to San Francisco did not waver his interest in Eric Rogers, who ultimately was the coach’s first signing with the 49ers as they agreed to a 2-year, $1.19 million pact. The deal included a record guarantee for a player from the CFL, bypassing Cameron Wake’s 2009 contract with Miami.

With interest from half the league (including 13 offers) and an agreement to play for a coach who has been considered one of the best offensive minds in football, Rogers is undoubtedly an intriguing player to watch this offseason. We have heard this before, though, as recently as last offseason with fellow CFL alum Duron Carter. As Carter returns to the CFL after one forgettable season on an NFL practice squad, is Rogers’ future any brighter?

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A three-sport star with multiple school track records coming out of high school, Rogers attended Division III Cal Lutheran University (CLU) where he made an immediate impact as a red zone target in his freshman year. He more than doubled his receptions and receiving yards as a sophomore in 2010, setting multiple school records and rankings among conference leaders in several receiving categories. Rogers’ reception totals regressed in 2011, though his yardage increased as he improved his yards-per-reception from 13.2 to 22.6. He also set school records in track-and-field, which is noteworthy given how his abilities in the triple jump and long jump translate to his skillset as a wide receiver.

Rogers took an even larger step forward in his final season at CLU, catching 91 passes for 1,298 yards and 18 touchdowns. This monster season vaulted his career totals into record-setting territory for receptions (220), receiving yards (3,461), receiving touchdowns (41) and total scoring (270 points) at CLU, ultimately setting seven new school records and was named the Offensive Player of the Year in the SCIA Conference.

On the field, Rogers demonstrated an ability to make contested catches and can high point the ball well, making it no surprise that he was heavily utilized red zone threat. His long arms give him a large catch radius. He also has passable blocking abilities, with mixed reviews on the strength and physicality he displays for his size. While his quarterbacks love that they can toss up the ball and let him to get it, his lack of top-end speed (4.50-second 40 yard dash) and raw route running are clear limitations.

Historically, Division III prospects get little attention when it comes to NFL Combine invites, and Rogers was no exception. Thanks to Rogers, however, the CLU Pro Day did garner more attention than it had in the past from NFL Scouts. Though his results were not overly impressive (only his 37” vertical jump and 4.20-second 20 yard shuttle would have placed him in the top ten among wide receivers at the Combine), Rogers was contacted by several NFL teams that considered drafting him.

Unfortunately for Rogers, the 2013 draft passed without his name being called. Though he signed with the Cowboys shortly thereafter, he was released during the preseason and did not catch on with another NFL team. Instead, he joined the Portland Thunder of the Arena Football League (AFL), where he caught 73 passes for 903 receiving yards and 27 touchdowns in nine games. He then joined Calgary Stampeders of the CFL and caught 87 passes for 1,448 yards and 10 touchdowns in 2015, leading the league in the latter two categories and garnering significant interest from NFL teams.

In December 2015, half of the teams in the NFL worked out Rogers before he picked San Francisco. He indicated that Chip Kelly’s persistence and focus on him was the primary reason he chose the 49ers over the Vikings and Jets, though the considerable guaranteed money was likely also a contributing factor.

Although Rogers has been compared to failed experiments Carter (due to his CFL experience) and Jarryd Hayne (an outside-the-box weapon on the 49ers’ offense), the combination of his football experience and guaranteed money put him in a class above them with a real shot at a job.

With San Francisco, the 25-year-old Rogers finds himself teamed with a long list of uninspiring options at wide receiver. With 34-year-old Anquan Boldin entering free agency, the team’s current top option (Torrey Smith) caught 33 passes in 16 games in 2015. Veterans Quinton Patton, Bruce Ellington and Jerome Simpson are tentatively next on the list, with unproven second-year players DeAndre Smelter, DeAndrew White and Dres Anderson rounding out the list of players who will likely be competing for spots on the 53-man roster. With the exception of minimal buzz around the latter three, Chip Kelly does not have much to work with.

Enter Rogers. While he has his deficiencies, being courted and hand-picked by the new head coach will give him an opportunity to make an impact. With Colin Kaepernick likely headed out the door, Rogers could be a reliable red-zone option for Blaine Gabbert or the next quarterback Kelly brings in.

Carter’s ineffectiveness, and the resulting skepticism from the dynasty community, will likely keep the price on Rogers low to make him a gamble only at the price of a roster spot. It was only a year ago that any weapon brought into a Chip Kelly offense gained immediate value. While the talent of the supporting cast for each offense can be debated, Rogers should get as good a shot as anybody on the roster to get snaps.

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jaron foster
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