Michigan, UK offer PA LB

Junior to Watch: Christopher Rogers

School: Wexford (Pa.) North Allegheny

Position: Inside linebacker

Size and speed: Rogers is 6-foot-3, 235 pounds and has been timed at 4.7 seconds in the 40-yard dash at the Ohio State summer camp in 2002. Rogers has a 340-pound bench-press and a 3.3 grade-point average.

Honors: Rogers has a laundry list of honors after his junior season: Pittsburgh Post Gazette North Fabulous 22, first-team all-conference, first-team all-classification pick at tight end and honors as a first-team all-conference pick as a defender.

Statistics: Playing both ways at tight end and linebacker, Rogers had 19 receptions for 278 yards and four touchdowns, along with 46 solo tackles, 29 assists, 12 tackles for a loss, eight sacks and a 40.3 yard punting average.

Favorite Schools: Rogers said he has scholarship offers from Michigan and Kentucky and lists them as two of his top teams along with Virginia, Penn State, Pittsburgh and Kansas State.

Skinny: If you’re looking for a multi-talented athlete with amazing size and great football knowledge, then you better look up Wexford (Pa.) North Allegheny linebacker/tight end Chris Rogers.

Rogers is a 6-foot-3, 235-pound pure football player. Plug him in at linebacker and he’ll more than do the job for you. Plug him in at tight end and he’ll devour defensive linemen with his sold run blocking skills or go up and get the football in passing situations. Heck, you can even line him up at punter and have him kick the ball an average of 40 yards a kick.

Simply put, there aren’t too many players in the Midwest that can do the things that Rogers does.

And it’s that versatility that has already garnered scholarship offers from Michigan and Kentucky and plenty of attention from others like Virginia, Penn State, Pittsburgh and Kansas State.

Rogers said when it does come time for a decision a few key things will factor into his decision.

“The biggest things are the academics and the football program itself,” he said. “I want a school that’s going to offer me a good education and a good football program.”

This summer, Rogers said he has plans on camping at several schools – including Virginia, Pittsburgh, Penn State and Michigan.

“I hope to show them my stuff,” he said. “I’ll show them that I’m rangy, quick and physical.”