Amari Rodgers Scouting Report
As one of Trevor Lawrence’s go to wide receivers, Amari Rodgers is an exciting Draft prospect. A player who will be instantly valuable to any team, dive into the Amari Rodgers Scouting report below.
School: Clemson / Position: WR/ Height: 5’10” / Weight: 210 / Class: Sr.
Games Watched: Virginia (2020), Notre Dame (2020), Pitt (2020)
Hands:
Amari Rodgers has terrific, natural hands at the catch point. Great at always using his hands and not allowing the ball into his body. Despite his size and stature, does a great job of always catching the ball through contact as well
Route Running:
A great route runner to the short and intermediate levels of the field. Has a great sense of open space and does a good job of settling down once he finds it. I believe he has the skill to be a good route runner down the field as well but he just doesn’t have much experience doing so.
Speed:
With a reported 4.4 40 yard dash at Clemson’s Pro Day, Rodgers is plenty fast. He also clearly has the required speed to win down the field if he is ever asked too. Will beat defenders in a foot race for the end zone as well.
Release:
A crafty and talented player when it comes to his releases, he does a good job of attacking DB with sudden and aggressive movements. While playing mostly in the slot at Clemson, never really faced press so I would like to see if these releases carry over when he has to be physical immediately.
Body Control:
Has great body control especially on the sideline. Does a fantastic job of keeping his feet in bounds to secure the catch. Is talented in the air as well in this aspect in the very limited times that he was asked to do so.
RAC Ability:
The best part of Rodgers game and by far the one we got to see the most. A weapon in space he is fast enough and quick enough to be a difference maker right away. Is surprisingly physical in the open field as well. Will be a valuable player in the screen and RPO game right away.
Beating Press:
One of the biggest unknowns in Rodgers game as he was never really asked to do this while at Clemson. Is a physical enough player to become at least passable in this aspect but is likely a long way away from even that.
Catch Through Traffic:
A trait that Rodgers really excels in, he has very strong and capable hands at the catch point. Does not have much experience making these catches in the air, but it should translate based on the ability he showed over the middle and to the sideline.
Explosiveness:
A truly explosive player and it is evident in many facets of his game. Explodes in and out of his route breaks and with the ball after the catch. This aids him in the return game as well which only adds to his overall value as a player.
Physicality:
A surprisingly physical player despite his size. Is not afraid of bigger players and has no problem running through players in the open field. The kind of receiver who invites contact.
Assessment:
Amari Rodgers is an exciting playmaker at slot WR. Due to this, he became Trevor Lawrence’s security blanket in their time together in Death Valley. He has great speed, running a 4.4 40 yard dash at his pro day, with incredible explosiveness after the catch. Despite his size he seems to love contact after the catch as he consistently shrugs defenders off and makes people miss. In all honesty I do not have any worries about Rodgers as a player as his only “limitations” are his size. As such, he will be relegated to slot only duties in the NFL. However, this should not be perceived as a slight on him as a player. Amari Rodgers has all the ability to become a team’s starting slot WR as well as a valuable player in the return game. I can easily see Rodgers having a long and productive career in the NFL and would give him a second round grade.
Grade: Second round
Be sure to follow NFL Draft Lounge for more on Amari Rodgers and additional 2021 NFL Draft scouting report coverage. As always, you can find us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram
