#82 Eli Rogers

Class: Sophomore Ht/Wt: 5-10/185 Position: Wide Receiver Hometown: Miami, Fla

Louisville’s Take: Athletic wide receiver who is one of the team's returning playmakers ... stepped in and contributed right away ... returned punts and has showed bursts of speed... made big plays in the open field and displayed the best hands on the team.

Thoughts: Where do I start? The guy had at least four receptions in seven different games. He led the team last year with 41 receptions for 454 yards, which in case you’re counting is an 11.1 yards per reception average. He now owns the Cardinals' longest catch, a 58-yard grab against Cincy. Did I also mention he returned eight punts for 54 yards? Last year his 41 receptions were third all-time in school history amongst freshmen and his 454 yards were sixth. For some reason, one of the memories that stands out for me last year was the TD grab heading into half at West Virginia. It tied the score up at 21 and got us rolling in the second half.

I could probably write a couple pages on this kid but I’ll keep it short. Without blowing this out of proportion, getting Eli and Teddy was a huge step for Louisville football. Sure the Strong hire was instrumental, but he was hired to do this…bring in talent, win ballgames and create a championship program. Rogers benefits from already having built a relationship with Teddy in high school, but it’s obvious that bond is growing even stronger as the reps add up. This guy dropping a ball is about as likely as me getting two napkins with my Subway footlong. (Seriously Subway....one napkin for 12" of Meatball madness?!)

Flash those "best hands on the team" Eli…

via nbcsportsmedia3.msnbc.com

Potential Nicknames: "Eli"(Works for me)