Justin Rogers reached the NFL when the Dallas Cowboys chose the Auburn defensive tackle in the 2024 NFL Draft. Which defensive tackles served as the blueprint as Rogers built himself into a pro?
“Quinnen Williams, I like to watch him,” Rogers said on Sunday. “It’s really, like, how he gets off the ball, knocking the tackles back and the guard back. And, like, his power with his hands. And I like to watch Raekwon (Davis) that played at the (Miami) Dolphins.”
A funny thing about Williams and Davis: They played on the other side of the Iron Bowl rivalry from Rogers. Williams has been a Pro Bowler for the past two seasons with the New York Jets. After four seasons with the Dolphins, Davis moved to the Indianapolis Colts in free agency this offseason.
Dallas ranked 16th among the NFL’s 32 teams in rushing defense in 2023.
“We want to get big,” said Will McClay, the Cowboys’ vice president of player personnel. “We want to be physical. And Justin Rogers is a big nasty from Auburn with some length that can play that big inside nose-tackle position.”
Rogers aims to deliver for Dallas.
“That’s what I do best – stop the run, especially clogging the middle up, so that’s why they brung me in here,” Rogers said. “You just got to have the mindset; you just got to have that switch. When you’re out there on the field, you got to make sure nobody ain’t running through that middle. I fit right in in the scheme, for real. It’s kind of easy for me to understand the playbook and all that.”
Although 243 players were picked before Rogers in the 2024 NFL Draft, the defensive tackle shouldn’t be assumed to be headed for the practice squad.
The Cowboys had five interior defensive linemen who played at least 25 percent of the snaps in 2023. Two return: Osa Odighizuwa, who played 60 percent of the defensive snaps, and Mazi Smith, who played 28 percent.
While attending rookie minicamp this weekend, Rogers looked ahead to joining the Cowboys’ offseason program and the team’s veterans on Monday.
“It’s a high standard,” Rogers said. “They been here for a long time, so I just got to come out here and match that same energy, I would say.”
