Carnell Williams, TJ Yeldon, Mac Campbell, Kerryon Johnson, and the list goes on-and-on. What do all of these names have in common? If you said they are some of the top running backs to play high school football in Alabama, then you’re correct. While you have that list in front of you, go ahead and consider adding the name “Anthony Rogers” to it as well.
Yes, Rogers is only entering his sophomore season in high school this upcoming school year. And yes, he wasn’t even the starting running back for his team last season.
However, is Rogers already one of the highest upside players this state has seen in recent memory? Yes.
A running back from Pike Road High School, Rogers simply has everything you could possibly want in the running back position.
For example: Do you want someone who can run in between the tackles to pick up yardage? Rogers can easily do that.
What about bounce a run outside into the open field? Rogers has that ability, too.
Can he catch the ball out of the backfield and get into open space? 100%. In fact, you could say that’s where the freshman is the most dangerous.
“It all starts with Anthony’s work ethic,” former Pike Road Head Coach Patrick Browning said of Rogers. “He works extremely hard in the classroom, weight room, and the film room. During practice he treats each rep like a game rep.”
At 5-foot-8 and 180 pounds, Rogers helped lead the Patriots to the AHSAA Class 5A state title this past season – and was one of the state’s most exciting running backs in the process.
Sharing a backfield with current Ole Miss running back Quinshon Judkins, Rogers shined for Pike Road a year ago rushing for 1,150 yards and 18 touchdowns. The talented freshman also made an impact in other areas by adding 401 yards and six touchdowns through the receiving game, as well as returning four kickoffs for scores.
Cementing himself as one of the state’s most electrifying players with the ball in his hands, Rogers also received a few honors and accolades at the conclusion of his freshman season, with none bigger than a MaxPreps Freshman First Team All-American selection.
“Anthony was a key part of our success last season,” Browning said of Rogers. “Being only a freshman, for him to perform the way he did on the field is unbelievable. His work ethic was contagious for the rest of the team. I don’t think you can compare Anthony to any other player I have ever coached because he is so unique.”
The numbers from Rogers’ freshman season, combined with his pure skill set, are beginning to set him apart as one Alabama’s top 2025 football recruits. As you might assume, the list of collegiate offers is impressive for a player only set to enter his sophomore year of high school in 2022.
It’s an impressive list of programs that have already offered the rising sophomore: Alabama, Alabama State, Arkansas, Auburn, Florida State, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisville, Miami, Mississippi State, Ole Miss, Oregon, Penn State, South Carolina, Texas A&M, UCF, and Western Kentucky.
“The sky is the limit for Anthony,” Browning said. “He is a 4.0 student. He treats everyone with respect and dignity. He has an unmatched work ethic. And on game day, he will continue to perform at an extremely high level. If he continues these habits, he will play on Sunday.”
It seems likely that plenty of awards and honors are in store for Rogers down the road, and the potential is there for the talented freshman to be one of the top running backs Alabama high school football has seen in recent memory.
A player whose talent, recruitment, and potential will only continue to go up from here, the sky truly is the limit for Anthony Rogers in football. The only question left to answer is, how far will the talented running back rise?
