Best Michigan State football players: Modern-era Mount Rushmore – From Lorenzo White to Charles Rogers

Charles Rogers, wide receiver

Arriving at Michigan State in 2000, Charles Rogers was one of the most highly-touted recruits in program history. He was a five-star prospect and the anticipation for his arrival was out of this world. He was expected to be a superstar almost immediately.

And while he didn’t play during his freshman season, he broke out in 2001 and 2002 as a sophomore and junior before leaving Michigan State early for the NFL.

In those two years, he was one of the most productive receivers in Michigan State history. In fact, he finished with 135 receptions for 2,821 yards and 27 touchdowns which was good for ninth, third and first all-time for the Spartans, respectively. His 27 touchdowns in two seasons came with an NCAA record, breaking Randy Moss‘ mark of most consecutive games with a touchdown reception.

Rogers was a beast for the Spartans and it was unfortunate that Michigan State went just 11-13 in his two seasons as the star receiver. He played in just one bowl game, beating Fresno State in the 2001 Silicon Valley Bowl.

It was tough to narrow this down to Rogers, but because of his incredible production in just a short period of time, he was able to beat out guys like Andre Rison and Plaxico Burress.

Rogers’ NFL career, like Snow’s, was cut short due to a collarbone injury during his rookie year and he went from former No. 2 overall pick to out of the league in just a few years. Rogers died last November at only 38 years old as a result of liver failure.

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