Falcons select RB Jacquizz Rodgers in the 5th round
Jacquizz Rodgers was a highly productive running back in the Pac-10 (Associated Press)
FLOWERY BRANCH — The Falcons continued their theme of moving up in the draft to select a player on Saturday.
They traded away their fifth round pick (158th overall) and one of their seventh round picks (229) to move up 13 spots to select Oregon State running back Jacquizz Rodgers.
Here’s the book on Rodgers:
FALCONS PICK: 5th round, 145 overall (18th running back selected)
Name: Jacquizz Rodgers
Size: 5-6, 198
College: Oregon State
His production: He rushed for 8,245 yards and 136 touchdowns over his storied high school career in Richmond, Texas. Rodgers finished his career ranked second all-time in Texas high school history with 41 100-yard rushing games. He also had 21 200-yard games. He splashed onto the national scene when he helped to power the Beavers over Southern California, 27-21, when they were ranked No. 1 in the nation. He ran the ball 37 times for 186 yards and scored two touchdowns in the breakout game. He started 35 of 36 games for the Beavers. He gained 3,877 yards and scored 46 touchdowns. He also caught 151 passes for 1,052 yards and five touchdowns. He is just one of eight players in Pac-10 history with 1,000 yards rushing in three seasons.
The skinny: He was nicknamed “Mr. Touchdown” in high school. He landed at Oregon State in part because they had taken his brother, James, a wide receiver, the previous year. He was also recruited by Arizona, Baylor, Houston, Illinois, Louisiana Tech and Southern Methodist. He has a daughter, Channing. He ran a slow 4.59 seconds in the 40-yard dash at the NFL scouting combine. But he is considered to be more quick, than fast. He’s a proven tough and durable runner.
INTERVIEW WITH JACQUIZZ RODGERS TODAY
ON BEING PICKED BY THE FALCONS: “It’s the best feeling in life … finally a dream come true. Something you’ve been working for your whole life and actually getting a chance to seize the moment and be a part of a good team is a blessing.”
ON THE USC GAME: “That was the biggest highlight of my career, knocking off No. 1 USC. It was my freshman year, just being able to contribute to a win like that was good. Being part of Oregon State’s offense, a pro-style offense, having a coach like Coach (Mike) Riley put the faith in me to carry the ball a lot and being a featured guy in his offense (was awesome).”
ON RUNNING BETWEEN THE TACKLES: “It’s all about confidence. I run strong. If they look at my size they might under estimate me. After the game, I bet they have a different opinion about me.”
ON PICKING UP THE BLITZ: “That was something that we had to do. I’m willing to stick my nose in there and block linebackers. . . I remember watching Warrick Dunn when I was a child.”
ON NOT FUMBLING: “Ball security is something that we worked on every day in practice. Not putting the ball on the ground is a big thing. My coaches in college always focused on ball security and blocking. That was a big thing. They always said if you made it to this point they already knew you were a good runner, so protect the ball and protect the quarterback.” (He officially had one fumble on a lateraled pass.)
ON HIS SIZE AND PROVING PEOPLE WRONG: “That’s the main thing. Most people question my size. It’s something that I can’t change.”
ON HIS PASS CATCHING SKILLS: “Being shorter than most guys, being able to catch out of the backfield and beat linebackers one-on-one and in open space, I think it helps me out a lot.”
ON THE LOCKOUT: “I’m just working out and staying in shape. Hopefully, the lockout will be over soon.”
–D. Orlando Ledbetter, The Atlanta Falcons beat blog
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185 comments Add your comment
Big Ray
April 30th, 2011
4:14 pm
Jazquizz Rogers….nice pick. We’ve reincarnated Warrick Dunn…he’s gonna be nasty coming out of the backfield to either catch a screen pass or block for one.
Flappin' Falcon
April 30th, 2011
4:25 pm
Quiz is a stud. He carried the load for Oregon St. I was forced to watch almost all the OSU football games because my bro in law is an alum. Don’t doubt his stature, Quiz is Warrick Dunn with speed. Plus he catches the ball out of the backfield all the time. Great pick up!
Kevin
April 30th, 2011
4:35 pm
Falcons fans, you will absolutely love Quizz. He is so fun to watch because he extends plays when most RBs simply fall down, finds the endzone, and is a fierce competitor. Oh yeah, he should have zero recorded fumbles in college as a heavily featured back. The “fumble” on record was a backwards lateral pass that was not a catchable ball.
Beaver Fan
J.J.M.
April 30th, 2011
4:36 pm
did we really just draft a punter
Lank
April 30th, 2011
4:37 pm
I was thinking Virgil Green there. He was projected 3-4.
BirdDog
April 30th, 2011
4:38 pm
If he stays healthy in the NFL like he did in college, he sould be a great addition. Norwood just couldn’t stay on the field. Time to part ways with him, Jenkins and Anderson. Good riddance!
TruthSeeker
April 30th, 2011
4:39 pm
The Falcons drafting a punter is the best news I’ve heard all day. Please let this be the end of the Michael Koenen era.
gcs
April 30th, 2011
4:41 pm
Okay, I have tried to stay positive but COME ON! A punter?! A 5-foot-7 running back and a kicker??
What is going on up in Flowery Branch? GET US SOME DEFENSE!
.
Paddy
April 30th, 2011
4:44 pm
I am sure Norwood had some good runs with the Falcons. I just can’t remember any. Love this RB!!!!!
TruthSeeker
April 30th, 2011
4:44 pm
Rodgers is a good pickup. He’s undersized but he’s not a guy that will be expected to carry the load. Basically, he’ll just be what Jerious Norwood was a few years ago before he went through his bad run of injuries.
You’re not going to fix the defense with late-round picks anyway. We need veteran help, and I’m confident Dimitroff will be able to find it.
dp
April 30th, 2011
4:46 pm
This The END……somebody,please haul Blank and his son out of the draft room, before they start trading away the rest of next yrs picks…………a PUNTER…………Yikes…in the history of Falcons stupid drafts…this 1 takes the cake.
TruthSeeker
April 30th, 2011
4:48 pm
I don’t see why you guys are upset about taking a punter. Many players who get drafted in the 6th round don’t even make it to the NFL, so I don’t mind using the pick on a solid punter. Koenen really hurt us in field position a lot of times last year.
SeenThisB4
April 30th, 2011
4:52 pm
The PAC 10, a double A conference for all practical reasons….all he is, is a camp body. He’ll be driving a Coke truck by the end of September.
chuck
April 30th, 2011
4:56 pm
I have tried; I have really tried to give these clowns the benefit of the doubt. But to draft a punter in the 6th round when there were a couple of TEs and a couple of CBs that could help us still available is the final straw.
These guys don’t have a clue what they are doing. While there was disagreement as to the order, most people would agree that the Falcons needs were DE, WR, OLB, CB, TE, RB, OT, and maybe an OG. With 9 picks, we should have been able to address all 8 positions. OK, we gave up way too much for a WR but let’s move past that for now. Next, we draft an ILB in the 3rd round to play special teams and a damn punter in round 6.
These guys are inept or they have illegally already cut a deal for a free agent DE and CB. I hope for the sake of the long suffering fans of Atlanta that we broke the rules.
UGASlobberknocker
April 30th, 2011
4:58 pm
Why draft defensive players when you know they wont make the team? There were none left by the time Rogers came around..hopefully Rogers can be a Norwood type relief back o rmaybe a return man.
I have to agree questioning the kicker selection as they are a dime a dozen in free agency..but whoever is drafted here is gonna get cut anyway so really you are just drafting bodies for the first three weeks of fall camp and all kickers need some comp. so from that standpoint it isnt that terrible. DL or K or whatever, they will be on the waiver wire after the 2nd pre season game,
bigdave
April 30th, 2011
5:00 pm
Paddy..
off top, against the skins, December 2006
Yo Vince
April 30th, 2011
5:00 pm
CLUELESS Haters. These guys know what their doing. You do not. Shut up please.
Shannyeight
April 30th, 2011
5:04 pm
I like this pick…he reminds me of a “dexter mccluster” type back- can be effective on a screen pass, shifty between the tackles, elusive- a change off pace from running turner or snelling on 3rd down.
fansince74
April 30th, 2011
5:05 pm
I really like the pick of Jacquizz Rodgers. I think he’s exactly what the Falcons needed. Adding him and J. Jones is going to make this offense lethal. The Falcons now have another big time play maker at WR and a really good change of pace RB who is very elusive. If the Falcons Defense can stay some where in the middle of the pack,& with this upgrade on offense I think they will be a serious threat to go to win it all. FYI: forget the GB playoff game. We have a lot of youth on the defense and they are going to get better with experience.
torgo
April 30th, 2011
5:08 pm
Bosher in the sixth wasn’t my favorite choice, but I’ve certainly seen worse from the Falcons.
When Ken Herock was ruining our drafts, he took Appalachian State punter Harold Alexander in the THIRD round in 1993.
dp
April 30th, 2011
5:10 pm
DOL…since most of us give you some credit for appearing to know what they are thinking in Flowery Branch….please, pray tell, what the heck are they thinking. My personal opinion is they got so sidetracted in the 1st round they’ve managed to forget all their pre-draft positions. But that’s just my opinion.
chuck
April 30th, 2011
5:12 pm
Someone please enlighten me. The average career of an NFL player (according to the NFL players association) is 3.5 years. The draft has 7 rounds. The roster is 53 plus a practice squad. Even if the average career was doubled, every draft pick (7 picks X 7 years =49 players) should in theory make the team.
Again, why are we making a joke out of our 6th round pick? Even the announcers on ESPN are laughing at us.
gcs
April 30th, 2011
5:15 pm
Oh, right.
“Players who get drafted in the 6th round don’t even make it to the NFL”.
Players like Tom Brady? Or maybe seventh rounders like Peyton Hillis and Donald Driver?
.
torgo
April 30th, 2011
5:16 pm
“Even the announcers on ESPN are laughing at us.”
Well, that’s pretty strong evidence that we’re having an OUTSTANDING draft.
Freshmaker
April 30th, 2011
5:16 pm
Come on guys it’s not that hard. We can’t sign UDFAs right now because the league year hasn’t started yet, and we really wanted the guy. This likely means the end of Koenen or Bryant, and will save us some cash at that position.
chipontheroadbirdsrus
April 30th, 2011
5:19 pm
TD SCORES A TD SMART GM RECOGNIZE B4 YA;LL R LEFT IN THE DUSTY SUPER-DOME SAINTS BAG-HEADS
chipontheroadbirdsrus
April 30th, 2011
5:25 pm
A TACKLE from Grass valley CA he would have loved J Houston da$%&m Cheifs
gcs
April 30th, 2011
5:26 pm
Jason Snelling & Todd McClure were seventh rounders. You can’t tell me that these late round picks are throwaways.
There are good players out there and the Falcons should not waste picks on a kicker that could probably be signed as a free agent or be picking up a RB when they already have 2 really good ones.
I like Quiz but the Falcons have more pressing needs and there is no guarantee they will sign any FA’s.
Bosher is not even rated as the best punter. He’s 4th.
.
chipontheroadbirdsrus
April 30th, 2011
5:30 pm
maybe Bosher will be john james reincarnate
chuck
April 30th, 2011
5:34 pm
I like the Jackson pick in the 7th round.
reality
April 30th, 2011
5:41 pm
This is a great pick. This kid is a talented player that fills a huge need. We got a guy that will contribute right away in the 5th round. Good luck to Norwood , because he’s going to need it.
W.R.Terrell
April 30th, 2011
5:54 pm
Excellent draft so far. The Julio Jones pick looks like a bigger Roddy White with speed, the ILB Akeem will be a big plus, he’s a playmaker and Jacquiiz will be and should be the 2nd coming of Warrick Dunn with more power. The punter Bosher has some decent credentials and the OG Andrew Jackson may be a keeper. Great draft for Dimitrof again amd when free agency opens up we can look for a talented DE and some serious beef in the middle as in bigazz noseguard. I just love these FALCONS. Now this draft makes the addition of Kerry Meier from last years draft even more explosive. Bye Michael Jenkins, Jerious Norwood and Jamal Anderson I wish ya’ll the best. The FALCONS gonna be a “B” to deal with.
myrak43
April 30th, 2011
5:57 pm
no one we got in the third, 5th, 6th, and 7th round on the Defense side of the ball would have helped us this year anyway. these guys know what they are doing. they will get some help on the defensive side in free agency. calm down.
Falcon lost in Dallas
April 30th, 2011
6:04 pm
For everyone freaking out about the defense on the draft. They obviously have a plan. If there was someone that was there that they thought could be a Immediate playmaker they would have gone after them. There will be a ton of Free agents and we need a established beast at DE. Not a Potentially good DE. We can’t wait for someone to develop at DE. We need immediate help. If you have noticed we really haven’t spent a ton on free agency. One year we got Turner, then we went out and got Robinson. So, this give us opportunity to go out and get another Impact DE. Remember Grimes went to the Probowl.. We will be fine and teams will be so far behind from our offense they will be trying to catch up every game.If we control the ball and our offense is on the field we can go back to the Superbowl. We don’t want Drew breez on the Field, Or Any other Quarterback in our division on the field. We need the offense to control the ball as much as possible..
buttermaker
April 30th, 2011
6:06 pm
falcons can bet this class will do well , this kid rodgers is a player and we will love him on sundays.
Past Falcon Faithfull
April 30th, 2011
6:14 pm
This draft by the Falconsd was an act of desparation and a HUGE gamble. The draft is the source of new life to NFL teams.
By not resisting the urge to panic, we now know that the wisdom of the Patriots is still up North. If we stay healthy, it will be a terrific season. BUT if we have normal injuries this year, this will get ugly quick, and the Dome will be silent again. Here is your roll of the dice, place your bets quickly.
coloradobulldog
April 30th, 2011
6:22 pm
okay here’s where they need to pick a cb to play the nickel & Special teams. About bout Ryan Jones of NW MO State?
Good and bad
April 30th, 2011
6:32 pm
Julio Jones – A
Akeem Dent – C-
Jacquizz Rodgers – B+
Matt Bosher – D
Andrew Jackson – C
Cliff Matthews – B+
A special team LB in the 3rd round and a punter taken are the bad picks.
Julio Jones is a game changer. Jacquizz Rodgers allows us to replace Jerrious Norwood and offers similar dynamic play. Jackson is just depth for the OL, but we could’ve done better at another need spot. I hope that doesn’t mean we’re cutting Tyson Clabo. Cliff Matthews was a steal, though I would’ve preferred Bruce Miller from UCF.
falconsrelax
April 30th, 2011
6:40 pm
@ good and bad You have it about right. Rodgers is my favorite pick. His comparisons were to MJD. Gives up that shifty scat back we’re looking for.
BYRDDAWG
April 30th, 2011
6:41 pm
He had a GREAT college career! GO BIRDS
1eyedJack
April 30th, 2011
6:53 pm
See a lot of criticism for the sixth round pick of a punter Matt Bosher. This kid is a good punter and he could also handle kickoffs and place kicking if needed. His versatility could free up a spot on the practice squad. He was projected as high as the middle of the draft by some so he wasn’t a reach.
Perhaps the best thing is it allows the Falcons to wave bye-bye to Michael Koenen who commands a lot of salary and seems to be possibly on the downside of his career.
My opinion…strictly business.
indianman
April 30th, 2011
6:55 pm
super bowl bound
A greater sense of excitement
April 30th, 2011
7:01 pm
`
Jacquizz Rodgers is another “explosive” player picked by the Falcons.
torgo
April 30th, 2011
7:21 pm
Good and bad = pretty much hit it on the money. I might go with a “B” grade rather than a “C” for the Andrew Jackson pick.
And for anyone in the press or on the internet who fusses that we didn’t add enough to the defense… we used our first round pick on defense in four of the previous five drafts (including trading the first rounder for John Abraham in 2006), our second round pick on defense in four of the previous five drafts, and also five third rounders in the previous five drafts.
Seven of our eight picks in 2009 were on defense, and six of those seven players are still in the organization. We also signed significant free agents on defense in each year of the Smith/Dimitroff regime – including our $50 million man last year.
We can’t put that level of resources into the defense every single year.
AC
April 30th, 2011
7:32 pm
Great post torgo. Most of these clowns upset about our draft really don’t know football. People, please let the past go. Dmitroff has a PLAN – something that us Falcons fans aren’t used to. I swear, Falcons fans are so used to being negative that they don’t realize that we have one of the best run organizations in the NFL. Get a damn clue.
waynester
April 30th, 2011
8:00 pm
We’re trying to get more production from Biermann at LDE by drafting Dent to immediately replace him on STs. He was very close to turning a bunch of his QB pressures into sacks, but it was obvious that he wore down late in the season when we needed the pass rush worst. We had Dent our highest rated ST player on our draft board. How anybody can call getting exactly what you wanted a failure or give it a “D” is nuts….
DirtyDuck
April 30th, 2011
8:01 pm
As a Falcons fan living in Oregon I’m stoked!! Quizz is gonna be the next Warrick Dunn. Great pick!
jerry
April 30th, 2011
8:11 pm
The next Warrick Dunn? Hell, he might be the next Barry Sanders: 5′ 8″, 200lbs.
Dgoldnsilver
April 30th, 2011
8:27 pm
saw him play every home game. kid doesn’t quit so a nickname might be based on the everready bunny. he’ll pop out of a mass of humanity and move the chains when you’re sure the punter is warming up. that fumble was a lateral that could have been called incomplete as he barely touched it and the desert winds were strong. it’s tough to start in osu’s system as a freshman. the ONLY weakness is breakaway speed. he usually got tackled even after he left the safety searching for his jock. his change of direction will astonish you. oh, and watch his wr brother (james) this fall (who switched from jersey #8 to #1) as he does have breakaway speed. BEAVS!
King Tee
April 30th, 2011
8:38 pm
GREAT PICK…..He will turn out to be the steal of the 5th round. I watched this kid play against my Bulldogs….strong runner…don’t let the size full you!!!! He broke quite a few records in Texas football. If you know anything about football…..Texas football is no joke!!!!