Although the MSU football team hasn’t measured up to preseason expectations, junior wide receiver Charles Rogers has stood tall.
The 6-foot-4, 205-pounder has posted 29 receptions for 634 yards and six touchdowns in four games, which has propelled him into the national spotlight. His numbers and spectacular catches have made him a strong Heisman Trophy candidate.
Tony Mejia, a staff writer for CBS.SportsLine.com, said Rogers should be in New York for the ceremonies in December.
“I think he’s probably the top impact player in the country,” he said. “If he continues to score touchdowns every single game, he’ll get the invite. He’ll be a top-three guy.”
Rogers has caught at least one touchdown pass in his last 13 games overall and last 12 regular season games, which tied a Big Ten record and a NCAA record, respectively. He’ll have a chance to break the record Saturday against Northwestern.
As far as the Heisman hype is concerned, Rogers isn’t worried about it.
“I’m really not aware of how far I am on the Heisman list,” he said. “I really don’t check it that much, but if I am that’s nice.”
Rogers is on pace to end the regular season with 87 receptions, 1,902 yards and 18 touchdowns, which would shatter the single-season records he set last season and make him the MSU career leader in each category.
Even if he were to match last year’s numbers - 67 receptions, 1,470 receiving yards and 14 touchdowns, he would move into a tie for third place in career receptions, second place in career receiving yards and become the MSU career leader in touchdown catches.
One thing is certain, junior quarterback Jeff Smoker will continue to look his way to attempt to get the team off to better starts.
“That always gets it going,” Smoker said. “He’s an excitable guy, too. He gets fired up and he gets the crowd into it.”
Mejia has separated himself from wide receivers like Miami’s Andre Johnson, Washington’s Reggie Williams and Tennessee’s Kelley Washington, who has played in only one game because of an injury.
“I think he was in the clump of top receivers when the season began,” he said. “Clearly, Rogers has stepped to the forefront of that group. And he’s going to stay there all season.”
Romando J. Dixson can be reached at dixsonro@msu.edu.
