Versatility on the line

Rogers left Texas Tech as a two-time honorable mention All-Big 12 selection (2023-24) and made his impact felt on both ends of the offensive line. He started at left tackle as a freshman, right tackle as a sophomore, left tackle as a junior, right tackle as a senior, and three different spots as a fifth-year player. During Rogers' tenure, the Red Raiders made four consecutive bowl appearances for the first time since 2000-10.

"I would describe my play style as fast, relentless, aggressive, versatile," Rogers said after being drafted. "I mean, I know they're bringing me in to hopefully play some interior, but I also want to be able to be some guy that they can have on the edge if they need it."

"I'm comfortable with all five positions," he added. "Like I said, I want to be somebody that the team can rely on at every single position ... whether they put me at center, they put me at guard. I mean, I've played everything. Center, I haven't played in game, but I've got a lot of reps at it. ... I'm extremely excited to get out there and just be whoever they need me to be."

Bringing leadership and experience

Rogers arrived in Lubbock as a freshman in 2020 and played in nine games. He eventually took over as the team's starting left tackle in the final three games that season and never looked back. Fast forward to 2024 and Rogers, a team captain, finished his collegiate career with 55 starts in 61 games played. Those 55 starts rank second all-time in program history and showed a love for the game that caught the eye of Raiders General Manager John Spytek.

"Any time he got a chance to play football he did," Spytek said. "He told us a really cool story about the bowl game and wanting to play and the backup quarterback was who played. It was a guy that worked really hard his entire time there, didn't get a chance very often and he wanted to be out there with him. There were guys on his team that chose not to play in the bowl game and here's a guy going into his last game and going into the draft and he's got a lot to lose as a Day 2 pick. But to be there for your teammates and just kind of the joy to love to play football was something that I really took to and you could see that in his play style too."

Representing the Red Raiders

Rogers was one of four Texas Tech players to receive an invite to the NFL Scouting Combine and took advantage of the opportunity to showcase his athleticism. He finished first among all offensive linemen in the 20-yard shuttle, second in the 3-cone drill and fifth in the vertical jump.

"He's a high passion guy and he flies around the field," Spytek said.

Rogers will reunite with fellow Red Raider defensive end Tyree Wilson. The two were teammates from 2020-22 and now will have the chance to work with each other again in Las Vegas.

"I mean, without a doubt he's one of the guys that really made me better," Rogers said. "Just being on the team with him every single day, I think that we really just pushed each other. I think that he was one of those guys where he was good, so he had a target on his back. And I knew I was good too, so it was kind of the same way. Every single day in one-on-ones, we were trying to get a piece of each other. And so, being able to hopefully get back to that is something I'm really excited about. He was one of the first guys I talked to on the phone after I got off the phone with - well after I hung up on the head coach - one of the first guys I've talked to."