Better Know a Buckeye: Noah Rogers Has the Size, Speed and Catch Radius to Quickly Become a Deep-Ball and Red-Zone Threat

Noah Rogers might be the least-talked-about wide receiver commit among Ohio State's top-three wideouts in the 2023 class, but that doesn't mean he's not as good. It just means he’s underrated.

While Brandon Inniss and Carnell Tate have gotten most of the headlines, Rogers is the No. 8 wide receiver and No. 53 overall prospect in 247Sports' composite rankings for the 2023 class. On the vast majority of programs across college football, he would be the top receiver and crown jewel of their 2023 class, but he wanted to be coached and developed by Brian Hartline and be a Buckeye.

The Rolesville, North Carolina product may not have gotten a lot of hype yet, but he has the size and athleticism to make a name for himself in Columbus.

How He Became A Buckeye

Rogers never took an official visit to Columbus due to flight issues last June, but after unofficially visiting Ohio State for its spring game on April 16, another visit wasn't needed.

“It was a really great atmosphere for a game,” Rogers said of being at the spring game. “Overall it was a really good visit. I really enjoyed my visit.”

After falling in love with the campus, the football program and Hartline's coaching philosophies during that visit, Rogers committed to the Buckeyes less than a week after his official visit was canceled, showing how much he loved Ohio State even after just one trip to Columbus.

Many believed that Rogers would eventually commit to North Carolina State, a school he grew up 21 miles from. It seemed to be even more inevitable after the wide receiver made numerous visits to Raleigh. But less than six months after Rogers received an offer from the Buckeyes, the four-star wide became the third top-10 wide receiver in the 2023 class to commit to the Buckeyes in as many days when he chose the Buckeyes on June 22, following in the footsteps of Inniss and Tate just one and two days earlier, proving Hartline's recruiting wizardry yet again.

Although Rogers was committed to the Buckeyes, he still did his due diligence on his local schools. Two days after his commitment, the North Carolina native visited the Tar Heels. He later made three more visits to N.C. State, but ultimately signed with the Buckeyes on Dec. 21.

“There was a couple twists and turns along the way, but he was pretty loyal, and he had a big-time season,” Day said of Rogers on Early Signing Day. “I think you're really gonna like him and just his personality and makeup.”

Rogers is the fourth player to sign with Ohio State out of North Carolina since 2019, joining running back Evan Pryor (2021), defensive lineman Jacolbe Cowan (2020) and defensive tackle Jaden McKenzie (2019).

High School Years

It certainly didn't take long for Rogers to make a name for himself in high school. After the wide receiver had six catches for 247 yards and two touchdowns as a freshman, he improved that to 33 receptions for 660 yards and 11 touchdowns as a sophomore. He more than doubled those numbers with 70 catches for 1,432 yards and 22 touchdowns as a junior.

short plays can go overlooked but this is a BIG BOY play by #GoBucks signee Noah Rogers... short area, COD, hip swivel and miles of separation for an easy score pic.twitter.com/Mc2JAOjDF2

— C2CRecruiting (@C2CRecruiting) January 28, 2023

His numbers as a senior came back down to Earth a bit, as Rogers had 39 receptions for 799 yards and 15 touchdowns in his final high school season. All in all, he averaged at least 20.5 yards per catch throughout all four years, proving his ability to be a deep threat with his combination of size and speed.

Great adjustment and catch from Ohio State signee Noah Rogers (@noah1rogers)

Making it look easy @UANextFootball | #UANext pic.twitter.com/b3uiFFpAi0

— The Underclassman Report (@TheUCReport) January 1, 2023

Immediate Impact

Listed at 6-foot-2 and 195 pounds, Rogers has the size, speed, route-running ability and athleticism to be a mismatch no matter where he lines up. Pair all of that with his hand strength and ability to create separation against various coverages, and Rogers has the potential to be a weapon from Day 1, especially in the red zone.

Not only has he proven to be a tremendous receiver with the ball in his hands, but Rogers was also a strong run blocker in high school, a skill that could enable him to stand out among the other underclassmen early on.

Ohio State’s depth chart at wide receiver is loaded, but Rogers’ size and big-play ability could give Hartline reason to carve out an early role for him in the offense.

Long-Term Impact

With Marvin Harrison Jr., Emeka Egbuka and Julian Fleming all candidates to leave for the NFL draft next year, the door will be open for Rogers to compete for a starting spot in 2024. Harrison and Fleming’s expected departures, in particular, will leave the Buckeyes needing more playmakers with size on the outside.

Even if it takes a year or two for him to crack the receiver rotation, Rogers is ready to contribute wherever he can while continuing to improve as a player and getting stronger in the weight room.

“Zone 6 program, they throw that ball,” Rogers told 247Sports of Ohio State before he committed. “All their players are developed and it’s also the best of the best.”

Player Comparison: Austin Mack

Before he became a Buckeye, Mack – rated as the No. 9 wide receiver (No. 72 overall) in the 2016 class – was known for his great body control, above-average speed, strong hands and ability to go up and get the ball at its highest point. Sound familiar?

Mack didn't live up to expectations given a number of different injuries throughout his four-year career at Ohio State, but the talent and ability was there, which is why he played in the NFL. Rogers brings a similar skill set to the Buckeyes, but is capable of exceeding Mack’s accomplishments at Ohio State and becoming a bigger star as long as he stays healthy.