In a mug shot from 9-17-2009 Charles Rogers proves why he was not worthy of the 2003 #2 draft selection AP Photo/Novi, MI Police
It is hard to say that Charles Rogers is going to go down as one of the better pick by one of the worst drafters in NFL history. In 2003 Detroit Lions former GM Matt Millen was looking for a weapon to pare with his young QB drafted the year before (Joey Harrington). However Rogers, without doubt, ended up being one of the worst selections made by this tem, in terms of injuries, suspensions, and legal battles that ensued from his time with the Lions.
The proof of that seems to be just six years later, Rogers isn’t in the NFL anymore. In fact he has just returned to jail, after violating his probation again.
All that comes on top of a NFL suspension in 2005 for violating the League’s substance abuse policy, which led to the Lions filling suit against Rogers to get back a portion of the receivers signing bonus. The simple fact here seems to be the Lions drafted Rogers way to high, and the proof of that is the third pick in the 2009 draft.
While Rogers sits in a jail cell far removed from his NFL career, Andre Johnson who was the next pick in the 2003 draft by the Houston Texans is having a great career and The Sporting News recently ranked him as the 23rd best player in the NFL.
Of course it is kind of hard to blame the Lions for taking this home state kid this high in the draft. Many compared him to Randy Moss, and he was an, All American coming off an outstanding season with the Michigan State Spartans. Rogers had 270 receiving yards in one game, had 27 career TD’s there (which is a school record just beating out former MSU star football player and MLB player Kirk Gibson), and won the 2002 Fred Bilentnikoff award as the best college receiver.
Rogers’ NFL career came, undone due to a broken collar bone suffered in 2003 while in practice. While he did get off to a great start, the injury sat him down for the season. Three plays into the 2004 season Rogers broke his collar bone again.
In his absence from the field and team it seems Rogers returned to a world of alcohol and drugs and found that he liked that life better than his NFL one. It was a life he knew well, and shows how the lack of ding one’s homework can lead to a disastrous situation.
It later came out that Rogers had been suspended in each of his year’s at MSU for drug use. Had Millen done his homework and really dug into this kid’s background then he might not have cost this team a top ten draft pick.
When people wonder why draft picks get put through so much testing and interviews about character, Charles Rogers is the reason why. Millen’s failure to dig adequately into Rogers’ background he might have drafted Johnson instead. Had that been the case this team would not have been put on a road towards a 0-16 season.
With all the evidence before us we must give this draft pick an overall grade of a F. While injuries happen, it was this kid’s background that should have disallowed his selection this high in the draft.
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