Cowboys rookie DT Justin Rogers standing out as a critical defender

By the time the seventh round of the draft rolls around, teams are just throwing darts. The plug-and-play blue chip prospects are long gone, as are the role players and the wild cards. Developmental prospects are the name of the game late Day 3 and players with NFL traits are often the targets.

The Cowboys saw one of those players in Auburn defensive tackle Justin Rogers when they drafted him with their final pick. At 6-foot-2, 340-pounds, Rogers fits the profile of an NFL nose tackle. Strong and stout, he packs a punch. Maintaining a low center of gravity, he’s capable of maintaining balance against double-team blocks in a way needed to play a 0-1 technique effectively.

Over the offseason, the Cowboys bid adieu to Johnathan Hankins, their previous man in the middle. Hankins was serviceable in that DT role, but he was far from irreplaceable. Hoping to save money, the Cowboys clearly hoped a young player like Rogers, playing on a rookie deal, could take over that key run-stopping role inside. Early returns in camp say he’s doing just that.

While Mazi Smith dominates most fan attention and media headlines, it’s Rogers that looks the part of the run-stopper. Smith projects as the starting 1-tech in Mike Zimmer’s defense but on critical short yardage downs it’s Rodgers who looks like the top option.

It’s a situation Dallas desperately needed to transpire because options inside are extremely limited. If Smith and Rogers couldn’t combine to fill the needs at 1-tech, the Cowboys would likely be forced to look outside the roster for answers.

As the Cowboys move into preseason action, the play of Rogers and Smith will be closely watched. It’s still highly possible an outside player will be added once teams are forced to cutdown to 53 on August 27, but until that time arrives, it’s good to see a seventh-round rookie like Rogers stepping up into the much-needed role.

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