Before we know it, it will be football season, so here’s your opportunity to get to know an SEC player a little better. We all know the studs and key difference makers. Those who gather national media attention on a weekly basis. But who is Will Rogers and why is nobody talking about the Mississippi State Bulldog?

Rogers is a rarely mentioned starting Quarterback, if there ever was such a thing. There is an argument to be made that as he heads in to his senior season, the former three star recruit might be the best Quarterback in the SEC.

His Background

Rogers grew up in Central Mississippi and stayed in state to play college football. He is mentored by NFL quarterback Gardner Minshew. The two quarterbacked the same high school team. In addition they both played college football for the late Mike Leach.

Already the SEC’s all time completions leader, Rogers has a clear path to becoming the all time SEC passing yards and touchdown leader by the end of the upcoming season.

Rogers broke the completions record in October of 2022 in a 40-17 rout of Arkansas.

Rogers took only 28 games to eclipse Georgia quarterback Aaron Murray’s previous record high of 921 completions.

For context, Murray set the mark over the course of 52 games.

Eric Galko (Director of football operations for the Shrine Bowl) pointed out on Twitter that Rogers comparatively to SEC QB’s from the last decade, has already surpassed these players;

Kellen Mond
Dak Prescott
Joe Burrow (2 seasons)
Stetson Bennett
Bryce Young
Matt Corrall
Jake Fromm
Tua Tagovailoa

All of the above were drafted to the NFL and mostly in the first three rounds.

In the 2021-2022 season Rogers broke Dak Precott’s Mississippi State school records for single season passing yards and passing touchdowns. That same season he also became the first Bulldogs QB to pass for over 4000 yards.

For his career he has a 70.3% completion rate. He has amassed 10,689 passing yards and 82 touchdowns over three seasons.

Will Rogers Scouting profile

Pros

As a player, Rogers is a cool, calm and accurate pocket passer. He thrived in Head Coach Mike Leach’s air raid offense until Leach sadly passed away in December 2022.

It is a system based on precision timing and he has excelled at delivering passes in the short and intermediate levels of the field. He throws with great touch and placement creating YAC for his receivers. He’s certainly not a statue in the pocket and can extend plays with his legs if he needs to.

Cons

The knock would be that Rogers hasn’t consistently shown the strong arm talent of an elite draft prospect who can test defense’s downfield and that he benefitted greatly from Mike Leach’s offense and is “just a system QB” . This is perhaps why he hasn’t already popped up in early 2024 draft conversations amongst more casual NFL fans and fantasy fans alike.

Outlook

One thing the NFL loves though is production. If Rogers can break the SEC records in passing yards and passing touchdowns, and he has a good combine, I think he’ll be the type of player a team falls in love with. He could easily elevate himself from UDFA to a potential day 2 pick.