Arkansas sets official standard for Texas CB Jahari Rogers

Jahari Rogers

— After this weekend’s official visit to Arkansas, Arlington, Texas, four-star cornerback prospect Jahari Rogers (6-0, 170) now has a gold standard in terms of college choices.

"They blew me away,” Rogers said of the Razorbacks. “For my first official visit, I really didn't know what to expect. Now I know what to compare other schools to. This is my first, so it kind of has some value to it. They really showed me a lot of things.

“My host that I was with (Razorbacks defensive end Gabe Richardson) gave me a good time. Other schools will have to compete with this because it was my first and it showed me a lot of stuff that I needed to see.”

He is the 16th-best cornerback prospect in the nation, per 247’s composite rankings.

Rogers, who also has offers from Florida, LSU, Auburn, Oklahoma, Notre Dame, Miami, Baylor, Georgia Tech and others, was pleased to get his own look at Fayetteville.

“A lot of people talked about Arkansas, so just coming here myself and seeing everything that's available for me and what they have in the future, that's pretty good,” Rogers said.

Arkansas 2019 signees Jalen Catalon and Enoch Jackson of Mansfield (Texas) Legacy were two of the ones he talked to about the Razorbacks as well as assistant Mark Smith.

”They were my first SEC school,” Rogers said. “That kind of put a lot of value to it because of the conference they're in. Really just the relationship I have with Coach Smith. I talk to him all the time. He's an exciting person to be around.

“With Jalen Catalon and Enoch Jackson and all of them committing to this place, it had to be special because they're some special players. It was just nice to see for myself.”

Richardson showed him some of the Fayetteville sites.

"He took me around,” Rogers said. “He took me downtown and I got to see a lot of the other players. I got to talk to them, and he just really showed me a good time. We went down to Dickson Street with a lot of people.”

Rogers plays quarterback and cornerback for Arlington and picked off nine passes as a junior. He was 144-of-239 passing for 2,670 yards and 31 touchdowns last season while also rushing for 819 yards.

Rogers has an official visit set to Florida on May 17-19 and is looking at setting up trips to three other schools.

"Florida, Texas, I'm talking to Notre Dame and Miami about it,” Rogers said. “There are some other schools that people don't know about yet, but I have a couple that are in the making. I'm going to try and get all five of them done before I commit. Florida and Texas are the two I have right now, but there will probably be two more."

Rogers spoke about what he is looking for in a college.

"Really the relationship I have with coaches,” Rogers said. “I really want to go somewhere that I'll get developed by the coaches, so I really want to see their plan for me. Arkansas has a great plan, obviously, so it really depends on the plan that happens for me and what I can do at the school for the time I'm there."

Arkansas coaches went over their roster with him during the visit.

"We talked a little bit yesterday, just really the depth that they have and how much they need DBs,” Rogers said. “That's what kind of opened my eyes a little bit because a lot of schools have a lot already and have a lot of talented DBs.

“Arkansas has talented DBs, but they're not just like ... they don't have that much depth, so that's eye opening."

Rogers plans on getting all of his visits in during the next few months.

"Probably through the summer,” Rogers said. “I really want to commit before the season, but a lot of things can change. A lot of schools can come out of the woodwork. We'll just have to see how it goes from here."