The Latest: Earlier this year Rivals100 quarterback Justin Rogers named a Top 7, with his sights set on a spring decision. With summer right around the corner, Rogers has now trimmed his list to three programs, TCU, LSU and North Carolina with his eyes set on a May 31 commitment, a detail he had not previously disclosed. Rivals.com caught up with Rogers to go in-depth on his three finalists ant talk about what might tip the scales between now and his commitment announcement later this month.
In His Words:
TCU: "Me, my mom and my brother went over there for the spring game. It was nice. Getting around Coach (Sonny) Cumbie and Coach (Rusty) Burns and those guys is always a good thing. They were moving the ball up and down the field and throwing it around like they always do. The freshman quarterback Shawn Robinson had a good game and Kenny Hill struggled a little bit toward the end but those were the two guys getting all the reps. Outside of them, the other two guys weren't getting a whole lot of reps."
On a potential future battle with Robinson: "That won't impact my decision. At any point and time stuff happens and anybody can move up or down. If you go into a place scared because you have to compete for the job then you're not a quarterback anyway. There's only one guy that play at a time and no matter where you go you're going to be competing.
On TCU's recruiting approach: "They're probably pushing the hardest in terms of putting out graphics and showing me love and stuff like that. Their fans are really recruiting me hard too but communication wise all of the schools are pretty equal and I'm talking to them all about the same."
Mom's impression of the visit: "That was her second or third time going with me up there. She liked it. TCU was the first school she ever visited with me and outside of LSU that's the only other school she's been to. She definitely liked it."
LSU: "They've been telling me that I'm their No. 1 guy. I've been hearing from Coach (Matt) Canada and Coach O (Ed Orgeron) and those guys every day. They came up the first day of spring practice and they've definitely turned up the heat."
Thoughts on the new offense: "We went down for the spring game and when they started off outside they struggled. They're going against one of the top defenses in the country and they just put in their new offense, so I knew they were going to have some growing pains. But once they went to the indoor and put all the cameras up they started letting it fly a little more. After the spring game, I didn't really talk to any reporters or anything so they were assuming I thought the offense was horrible but I actually liked the offense. Once they went to the indoor they started moving the ball around, it was pretty impressive."
On the in-state pull: "I wouldn't say I'm in LSU country anymore. LSU is on bad terms with people around here. Brandon Harris was their baby. There are some LSU fans here and either they were mad about Brandon's situation or they were all for Les Miles. It's not really LSU country around here anymore. You have a couple of teachers that are diehard LSU fans but everyone just want to know where I'm going."
On what Brandon Harris said about LSU: "He hasn't said anything about LSU. Everything he has said about LSU has been positive stuff. He was just letting me know to make sure the school you go to you're going to like outside of football and what they do on the field fits you. That was the main thing he was telling me, it doesn't matter what school I go to, just make sure that the school fits me. He doesn't want me to make the mistake he did, he said he kind of let it get out of hand and he was in LSU country and everyone was in his head about LSU and that's what I think it came down to. He just heard it too much and that's why he went there and he just wants me to do what's best for me."
UNC: "I went to Duke-North Carolina basketball game and that was the last time I went. Me and Coach (Keith) Heckendorf and Coach (Larry) Fedora have a great relationship. The thing that's in their favor with me is their depth chart is probably in my favor. They didn't take a quarterback in 2017 at all and their depth chart is in my favor right now and my relationship with the coaches is great."
On UNC having a quarterback drafted so high: "What they're pitching to me is if they can do that in one year, there's no telling what they can do in three or four years with me. One of the things they've been telling me is Mitch went No. 2 in the draft so why can't I go No. 1. They've been mainly showing me all the stats and stuff he did in his first year starting. He threw for almost 4,000 yards and completed 70 percent of his passes. That's the main thing they've been telling me."
On potentially going to school with Brandon Harris: "He's been telling me just because he's at North Carolina doesn't mean I need to go there. His main thing has been to me make the decision that's best for you and nobody else. He really hasn't been in my ear. when he first went he was kind of joking about how we could go there together but really he wants me to make the decision for me and only me because you have to leave with that decision for the rest of your life."
Decision Date: "I'm probably going to announce it on my birthday, May 31. I've been thinking about it for some time. I probably won't visit anymore colleges before I announce my decision. I've been trying to take a break with all that stuff and focus on spring ball and after that I'll sit down with my people and make the decision once we feel it's right."
Rivals Reaction: Rogers appears to just be a few weeks away from his decision and there's not a whole lot more for him to learn about his finalists, especially considering the amount of research he's done over the past year. If he were to commit today it appears TCU would be his landing spot, but LSU won't likely give up over the next few weeks leading up to his announcement.
