However, the success of his first season would be overshadowed by injuries he suffered throughout the next few seasons.
“[I was] trying to play catch up from there, once I got injured, I got injured again, and then trying to just maintain and stay healthy was my biggest goal from leaving UNLV. I was just trying to stay healthy, but as far as when I was playing in the games, I felt like I was out there giving it everything I had…it was a real brotherhood at the school, playing for each other and the coaches,” Rogers disseminated.
During the next two years, following the 2017 season, Rogers would play in just 11 games and made nine starts in those games, rushing for 769 rushing yards, 10 rushing touchdowns, and adding another 900 yards passing, and 12 passing touchdowns.
From Vegas to Athens, Ohio
Following his 2019 season, the record breaking UNLV quarterback decided to enter the transfer portal as a graduate player, where he would make the decision to transfer to Ohio University, on the other side of the country. He says the decision was more about needing to advance his football career, and he liked the fit with the coaching staff.
“I just liked what Ohio had,” Rogers described. “I felt like I could go in there with the offense they were running with the past quarterback and I felt like it best suited me, and I felt like it was a situation I could go in there and take over where he left off at.”
During this time, however, Armani, like many other college football players, was dealing with the outbreak of the COVID-19 virus., that initially canceled the MAC season. Luckily, their season was reinstated in late September, but they played just three games. Armani started all three and finished with three total touchdowns.
After the NCAA granted a waiver to allow players an extra year of eligibility, he returned to Ohio, where he started all 12 games in the 2021 season, finishing with 350 passing yards, 552 rushing yards, and seven rushing touchdowns, including an NCAA record for the longest run by a quarterback with a 99-yard touchdown run against Buffalo on October 16.
Although his time with Ohio was brief, making 15 total starts under center, Rogers says he enjoyed the change of scenery.
“Just made the best opportunity of every opportunity that I did to get to see the field, whether it was me at quarterback, coming up with trick plays to get the ball in my hands, and [again] capitalizing on every opportunity I had to showcase my talent, to show scouts what I’m capable of doing with the ball in my hand,” Rogers exclaimed.
Despite spending his whole career under center and making plays directly with the ball in his hands, Rogers would make a decision soon after his career finished at Ohio, that would not only challenge him in a new role but give NFL scouts a different outlook of what he could be at the next level.
Shining under the bright lights of Vegas (again)
As alluded to near the beginning, Armani Rogers would make a life altering decision for his NFL outlook: despite having never played the position, he was going to transition to tight end. When you watch him run, it was evident that he’s a physical player and elusive with the ball in his hands. Not to mention the size/weight build as well. As far-fetched as it seemed, Rogers transitioning to tight end made a lot of sense.
For Rogers, he says the decision was made with his family, agent, and scouts, who all thought his athleticism could shine at this new position.
“I felt like I could go out there, with my athleticism, and go out and compete at a high level at any position. [I] just had to put the effort into it…I’ve been training my butt off playing tight end, trying to master my craft in the short amount of time I did have before the all-star game…that was the biggest thing, trying to master everything,” Rogers affirmed.
It was a month and a half out from the East-West Shrine week when Rogers made the decision. Most of his training came from working out on his own, and with his dad, who gave him tips on how to use nuance and footwork to create separation as a tight end from his linebacker perspective at the NFL level.
Fast forward to day one of the East-West Shrine practices, and Rogers immediately makes an impact, catching several passes in both 7 on 7 drills, one on ones against safeties and linebackers, and in the team drills. By the end of the first day, TDN’s Brentley Weissman labeled him as a winner from the first day of practices.
By day two, I was fully invested in his skillset. The natural movement skills, threatening with long speed, and soft hands were incredible for a player who never had a single live rep before the week at the tight end position, yet he was already impressing at this new position. In fact, I ended up doing a full breakdown of what I saw from Rogers and how he suddenly should be on NFL team’s radars.
