The No. 24 player in our countdown of the SEC’s best 25 players for the 2012 season led the SEC in catches a year ago.
No. 24: Da’Rick Rogers, WR, Tennessee, Jr.
2011 summary: The SEC leader with 67 catches last season, Rogers was one of two players in the league with more than 1,000 receiving yards. He finished with 1,040 and also caught nine touchdown passes. Rogers was a first-team, All-SEC selection by the Associated Press.
Most recent ranking: Not ranked in the 2011 postseason countdown.
Making the case for Rogers: One of the more enigmatic players in the league, Rogers has unlimited physical tools. He was plenty productive last season, too, and was able to put up big numbers even with fellow receiver Justin Hunter and starting quarterback Tyler Bray going down with injuries. The only reason the 6-3, 206-pound Rogers isn’t ranked higher is because he was in and out of the doghouse during the early portion of this past offseason after no-showing in the embarrassing 10-7 Kentucky loss at the end of last season. By all accounts, Rogers’ attitude has improved, and he should own the middle of the field this season with Hunter and junior college newcomer Cordarrelle Patterson doing their thing on the outside. Rogers is also one of the more physical receivers in the league and is a prime target in the red zone with his ability to go up and wrestle the ball away from defenders.
The rundown
