Watch: Nation's No. 1 Running Back Talks Final Decision Incoming

After racking up an impressive 4,468 all-purpose yards along with 24 touchdowns over the course of his sophomore and junior season at Pike Road High School (AL), Rogers has become one of the most highly sought-after prospects in the 2025 class, earning offers from many of the most high-profile programs in the nation. After setting June 2 as his decision date, the 5-foot-8, 185-pound running back recently narrowed his top-five programs down to Georgia, Florida, Auburn, Alabama, and Oregon. While he faces a difficult decision between some of the nation’s premier programs, Rogers has a clear vision for what he is looking for in a school.

“First and foremost I’m looking for a place that I will be comfortable at. Just a place that I feel comfortable at, just smooth, not having to worry about anything, not too much pressure. The coaching. Make sure I’ve got good coaches and good relationships with the coaches. The run scheme and how they do the offense. I want to go into a hard-working program that takes what they do seriously.”

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As the two-time defending national champion, Georgia is a program that has commanded the attention of the top-running back in the 2025 class. The Bulldogs formally extended an offer to Rogers in August of 2021, prior to his sophomore season of high school football, and have since remained a steady presence near the top of his list. According to Rogers, it is the coaching staff and the culture within the Georgia program that make the Bulldogs an enticing option.

“Coach McGhee, he does a great job at recruiting. He does a great job with the running backs he gets at Georgia. They are similar to Alabama because they work hard to do what they do as well and Coach Smart he’s a good coach and they’ve got a nice scheme, too. I like how they play. They go to beat everybody and they show no mercy during the game.”

As one of his top-five schools, Georgia is clearly a strong contender to land Rogers, but Kirby Smart and staff face steep competition for his services. As a Pike Road, Alabama native, Rogers grew up less than 50 miles from the campus of Auburn University, making the Tigers a natural choice to make the cut for his top-five. While one could assume the proximity to Auburn played a significant role in its inclusion in his top-five, Rogers made it clear there are other dynamics at play that have made Auburn an attractive option as a potential landing spot.

“I love the environment at Auburn. Just a calm, chill environment. They’ve got great fans. Me and Coach Cadallic [Williams] have a great relationship because he was one of my early offers and we’ve been tight ever since.”

With his affinity for Williams as a coach, the IMG product explained how excited he was that Williams - a legendary figure in Auburn football lore - was retained by new Head Coach Hugh Freeze.

“It meant a lot because Coach Cadillac is a big reason why Auburn is even in my top five and he does a great job with the running backs so it means a lot that he was able to stay.”

While Auburn is clearly in the mix, it is not the only SEC program from the state of Alabama to remain a contender for his commitment, as the University of Alabama is also making a strong case to land the top-50 prospect. Like Georgia, Rogers values the Crimson Tide coaching staff and views the culture at Alabama as a fit for what he is looking for in a program.

“On the Crimson Tide, I know they are going to work real hard to get what they get. I like that. You just have to work hard to get it. You won’t get any handouts. Coach Saban there, that’s a big factor. He has a lot of experience in coaching. I have a good relationship with Coach G [Alabama Running Back Coach Robert Gillespie] with the running backs. He does a good job of helping out with the running backs. And, of course, Alabama has a good line of running backs and they have a pretty good run scheme.”

Florida Head Coach Billy Napier has his sights set on rebuilding Florida into a national powerhouse and landing the top-running back in the country would go a long way towards helping the second-year head coach translate that goal into a reality. For his part, Rogers is excited about the coaching staff at Florida and the atmosphere that the program has to offer.

“Me and [Coach] Napier had a good talk about how I could fit into their scheme. The energy around Florida is great. It just feels good. I can’t do anything but smile when I go down there. I like the scheme. I’ve got a good relationship with [Running Back Coach Jabbar] Juluke and Coach Chaos [Co-Defensive Coordinator Sean Spencer]. They do a good job with what they do. The main thing is the energy, though. I just love the energy around that place.”

Located more than 2,500 miles from Rogers’ hometown, Oregon is the lone school outside the southeast to still have a shot to reel in the talented running back. Given the considerable distance from his home, it is naturally curious that the Ducks made the cut for his top-five. To hear Rogers explain it, it is his long-standing relationship with Oregon’s Running Back Coach Carlos Locklyn that has kept the Ducks in the mix.

“They’ve got a nice offensive scheme. They are known for having speedy running backs so I’m pretty sure they know what to do with guys like me in the backfield. But the main thing with Oregon, Coach Locke, the running back coach, he gave me my first offer ever when he was at Western Kentucky and he’s from my hometown so we’ve had a great relationship ever since I was in eighth grade, so that’s why I chose Oregon.

Armed with back-to-back national championships, Georgia is a formidable force to reckon with when Kirby Smart and company set their sights on any player. However, while the Bulldogs remain a strong contender to earn the commitment of the No.1 running back in the 2025 class, they will have to fend off several other power programs in order to ultimately close the deal.