Existence is Simply Illusion
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by Tyduffy
ESPN is reporting that former Michigan State and Detroit Lions Wide Receiver Charles Rogers will attempt to revive his desiccated corpse of a football career in the friendly confines of the Canadian Football League.
Rogers was a three-time All-State wide-receiver at Saginaw High School before enrolling at Michigan State. In three years at MSU, Rogers became arguably their best receiver of all time (at least statistically), tying Kirk Gibson's record for career touchdowns with 27.
He was the first-round (#2 overall) pick of the Detroit Lions in the 2003 NFL Draft. He caught 22 passes for 243 yards and 3 touchdowns during the first five games of his rookie season, before being lost to a broken collarbone in week 5. The next season, he broke his collarbone again on the third play of the first game, putting him out for the entire year. He served a 4-game suspension in 2005 for a third violation of the league's substance abuse policy (Marijuana), and played in only nine games that year, catching 14 balls for 197 yards and 1 TD. Rogers was released before the start of 2006.
Rogers worked out for New England, Tampa Bay, and Miami in 2006 but failed to earn a roster spot. He was offered a workout by Kansas City in January 2007 but bombed after running a 4.8 40 yard-dash. In a mere three seasons, he went from a #2 overall pick, to someone who couldn't make an NFL roster. At the tender age of 26, Rogers became a has-been.
Charles will go down as the prominent poster-boy of Matt Millen's excess, joining fellow top ten picks Joey Harrington and Mike Williams as colossal busts. However, he should be remembered as a caveat for all of the draft gurus obsessed with "freakish atlheticisms," "great motors," and performances in the combine. All the physical tools in the world can't help if you lack the drive and desire to harness them. Had scouts looked back to the State Championship game of his senior year, when he only managed to catch 2 balls (both long bombs) despite being 4 inches taller and 2-3 steps faster than anyone else on the field. They may have seen this one coming.
Originally posted here.
