21d ago football Edit

Rutgers cornerback Eric Rogers preparing to be veteran presence on defense

Alec Crouthamel • TheKnightReport

Staff Writer

Beat writer for women's basketball here at TKR, as well as covering all other things Scarlet Knights. Also working as a broadcaster with WRSU student radio and hoping to do more in the future!

In his second season as a Scarlet Knight, Rutgers Football cornerback Eric Rogers is ready to take on a veteran leadership role in the defense, preparing for his final college football season.

After transferring in from Northern Illinois last offseason, Rogers had a productive year as the Scarlet Knights' third cornerback and will now need to step up with Max Melton off to the NFL Draft. Rogers tended to make big plays on defense and special teams, blocking a punt against Maryland and returning another blocked punt for a touchdown against Indiana.

NOT A RIVALS SUBSCRIBER? JOIN TODAY AND GET 30 DAYS FREE!

Rogers showed up against the best of the best, including an acrobatic pass-breakup of potential top-5 NFL Draft pick Marvin Harrison Jr. alongside Melton against an Ohio State team that was ranked at No. 1 in the country at the time. While Harrison still scored two touchdowns, his production away from the red zone was largely limited thanks to the Scarlet Knights' top two cornerbacks.

As Melton prepares for a likely Day 2 selection in the draft later this month, Rogers gave a glowing review of what it was like to have Melton in coverage next to him.

"I've learned a lot from Max, actually," he said. "It's pretty surreal for me too, coming from NIU we didn't have a lot of guys getting drafted. Just having somebody in our room that I've been around probably 24/7, I still hang out with him every day, it's a really amazing experience to see firsthand. I'm really excited for him, if you've been around Max you know he's a really good person, he's a lot of fun to be around. He's a great guy and I think he deserves everything he's about to get."

With Melton no longer in the fold, Rogers serves as one of the senior members of the secondary. He talked about what spring practice has been like as one of the veterans on the Scarlet Knights' ferocious defense.

"Just being able to lead," he said. "I remember I was in their shoes one day, just being a young guy trying to follow the lead of one the older guys. Just trying to be that example, me and Beam just leading and setting an example for the young guys."

Beam, the nickname for fellow senior cornerback Robert Longerbeam, will likely be the Scarlet Knights' top cornerback for the second straight year. Longerbeam assumed the role last season amid Melton's struggles with a hand injury that clearly impacted his effectiveness in the secondary.

Rogers also touched upon how the two have felt headed into a pivotal 2024 season.

"Robert is an amazing player," he said with a smile. "I love playing alongside Robert. He's a great guy, he's a great cover guy. I think Robert can do it all, he's a really good player you guys saw this past year he had a really good season. He's been working really hard, we've been going at it at practice. We're just getting better and I think it's going to be a really good year for him."

Another positive coming into Rogers' second season on the Banks is his familiarity with the defensive system. He is also coached under defensive coordinator Joe Harasymiak and cornerbacks coach Mark Orphey for another season, and under their tutelage, Rogers is still getting more comfortable.

"I would say I'm pretty comfortable from the coaches to our teammates," he said. "They've been doing a great job of getting me prepared. From when I first got here to now, I'd say I'm pretty comfortable now, and it's just been a lot of fun."

A part of that comfort, Rogers noted, is learning the tendencies and methods of the entire defense aside from just the cornerbacks.

"Just knowing what everybody does and being able to work as a unit, just knowing stuff before it happens, the mental side of the game, I've been working on this spring," he said.

Rogers was also able to return to his home state after three seasons at NIU. The Burlington, New Jersey native was a top-50 player in the Garden State coming out of Burlington Township High School in the class of 2020. He talked about the difference in the level of play at the Big Ten level compared to the MAC level.

"I would say it was somewhat of a difference," he said. "You could say with the skill players there's a difference, but I think everything's pretty much the same. It might just be a little bit faster, more mental here at the Power Five level but that's about it. Skill players are pretty good and everybody is pretty good, so it's a lot of fun competing against these guys every day in the Big Ten."

After finishing the 2023 season tied for the second-most pass breakups on the team, Rogers will likely start opposite Longerbeam as a staple in the secondary. He will be relied upon by Harasymiak and head coach Greg Schiano to be a consistent piece in a defense that could take another step forward into an elite Big Ten unit. With a veteran-laden unit, hopes are high on the Banks.