Top Ohio State recruit happy to be Quiet Man of Triangle football for Rolesville Rams
The college football recruiting game watched for Noah Rogers’ commitment with great anticipation locally and nationally. ESPN listed him the No. 1 prospect in North Carolina, No. 65 nationally.
They weren’t alone.
Based on Rogers’ various elite rankings, he could have been one of those prospects who milked attention. He could have announced a press conference in the school gym. He could have placed three college hats on a table. Fans and media would have turned out to see which hat he donned as cameras clicked.
“Nah, that’s not me,” said Rogers with a scoff after Monday’s practice. “At the end of the day, it’s just an announcement.”
His soft grin belied his imposing presence. He’s the Quiet Man of Triangle high school football off the field, although on the field he thunders and swooshes. The 6-foot-3, 195-pound wide receiver validated the reasons for high expectations surrounding him in the season opener.
Rogers caught three touchdown passes in Rolesville’s 52-28 win on Friday over Pinecrest, a perennial playoff school in Southern Pines. Rolesville, which finished last season as the NCHSAA 4A East region runner-up to eventual state champion Cardinal Gibbons, seeks a 2-0 start in the Rams’ home opener at 7 p.m. Friday against East Forsyth (1-0).
“Noah is a combination of everything as a receiver,” said head coach Richard Shuping, who was promoted this season from offensive coordinator. “He can go up and get the ball anywhere it’s thrown. He’s physical and strong. If the ball is near him, he’s coming down with it. He’s a great blocker and great route runner. He’s a playmaker.”
That’s clear from watching highlights of him pinned to his Twitter page, @noah1rogers.
He’s a kid who plays like a man — or at least a Division I college athlete whose highlights could be neatly spliced into last year’s Ohio State film featuring athletic and tall wide receivers. Rogers makes one-handed catches falling to his back in the end zone. His moves leaving defenders grasping air. And when he does go to the turf, he pops kip-up — springing from flat on his back to his feet.
It’s about the only flash you’ll see from him, though.
Rogers only posts on Twitter about once a week, and when he does it’s usually about a teammate. He’ll even celebrate a rival’s success. On July 23, he retweeted Heritage High’s Chance Peterson’s post celebrating North Carolina Central extending him his first scholarship offer.
When Rogers committed to Ohio State on June 22 on an unofficial visit, a flashy graphic appeared on Twitter. There were two images of him at Ohio Stadium, one with him holding the Heisman Trophy. But he didn’t post them. The graphic was made and posted by Hayes Fawcett, who specializes in recruiting graphics for On3Recruits. Quotes from Rogers weren’t found in the website articles about his commitment.
“He’s quiet; that’s who he is,” Shuping said. “He gets a lot of interview requests. I’ll tell him about them, but I don’t make him do them.”
In addition to Ohio State, Rogers unofficially visited North Carolina, N.C. State and Florida State. His only official trip was to Clemson. His focus over the summer remained preparing to help the Rams return to the state final, where they lost two seasons ago — also in 2021 thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We set high standards this year,” Rogers said. “I believe if we come out here and do everything the coaches ask, we can be a team with jewelry.”
Rogers’ decision to play all four years at Rolesville despite a high profile was as uneventful as his college commitment. His brother Cyrus, who is now a redshirt freshman wide receiver at North Carolina, was a Rolesville senior teammate during Noah’s sophomore season. His sister, Shamaiah, was a Rolesville cheerleader who now attends Winston-Salem State.
“I had been coming to Rolesville games for a long time,” he said.
Following his brother and sister is not to be overlooked in an era when high school athletes, copy the example of college athletes in the transfer portal and NFL players in free agency. Many elite stars shop for schools that will promote their skills. Additionally, Rolesville, which opened in 2013, didn’t post a winning season until Rogers’ freshman season when the Rams finished 10-3.
As a freshman, Rogers played in eight varsity games, catching six balls for 247 yards, a 41.2 average, and two touchdowns. As a sophomore in the COVID-19 abbreviated nine-game season, he caught 26 passes for 591 yards (22.7) and nine touchdowns.
Last year, in a 15-game season, he dominated with 70 catches for 1,432 yards (20.5) and a long reception of 81 yards. He scored 22 receiving touchdowns and one rushing TD.
“The thing I enjoy about Noah is football is so much fun to him,” Shuping said. “You can see it on his face in practice. You can see when he’s here early in the morning. He’s a great teammates and team leader. Some people play because they’ve always played it. He plays because he has a passion for football.”
With or without the high-profile chatter.