Better Know a Buckeye: Anthony Rogers’ Do-It-All Playmaking Ability As a Hybrid Running Back Makes Him A Unique Weapon for Ohio State’s Offense

While he was the third running back and the 26th overall commitment in the 2025 class for Ohio State, securing Anthony Rogers' signature was a pivotal moment for OSU in the cycle. Winning the battle for an Alabama product over the likes of the Crimson Tide and Georgia made it even more important.

How He Became a Buckeye

Rogers didn't initially receive an Ohio State offer until Carlos Locklyn took over as the Buckeyes' new running backs coach in April 2024. With that, OSU was somewhat behind in its recruitment compared to other programs. But that didn't stop Locklyn from going all in on the No. 5 running back in the class, who was already committed to Alabama.

Locklyn proved to Rogers that he was a priority from the moment Locklyn came to Columbus, as Ohio State was in search of a third running back to join Bo Jackson and Isaiah West in the 2025 class.

A little over a month after receiving the OSU offer, Rogers – who had been committed to the Crimson Tide since June 2023 – took a visit to Columbus. He returned for an official visit during Ohio State’s home game against Nebraska.

Shortly after that visit, Rogers decommitted from Alabama, signaling a battle between Ohio State and Georgia ahead of the running back's decision on National Signing Day last December. Thanks in part to a strong relationship with Locklyn, especially given the running back coach's Alabama roots, Rogers chose the Buckeyes over the Bulldogs.

“(Locklyn) has known him for a while and has been recruiting him for a while, so he was very familiar with him," Ryan Day said last December of adding Rogers to the class.

High School Years

Rogers took the high school level by storm, running for 1,139 yards and 18 touchdowns on the ground while averaging 10 yards per carry. He added 15 catches for 401 yards and six receiving touchdowns to go along with four kick return touchdowns while averaging 42.1 yards per kick return on 15 tries. Named a MaxPreps Freshman All-American, Rogers played a key role in the road to an Alabama 5A state title for Pike Road (Alabama) High School, the same school that Quinshon Judkins attended.

As a sophomore, the do-it-all playmaker ran for 1,626 yards and 22 touchdowns while averaging 8.7 yards per carry. He also caught eight passes for 219 yards and two touchdowns and averaged 35.7 yards on eight kick returns.

Alabama 4-Star RB commit Anthony Rogers @anthonykrogers got up to 22.8 MPH on this run.

pic.twitter.com/G1SD6nqQZU

— Touchdown Alabama Recruiting (@TDARecruiting) August 4, 2023

Rogers spent his junior season at national powerhouse IMG Academy, where he ran for 316 yards on 41 carries with five touchdowns, averaging 7.7 yards per carry.

The Alabama standout was used as a versatile player in his senior season at Carver High School (Montgomery, Alabama). In nine games, Rogers racked up 221 rushing yards on 36 carries with two rushing scores and caught 42 passes for 478 yards and four receiving touchdowns. He also served as the team's kick returner.

Whether it's running the ball or catching it, Turbo Rogers makes plays. pic.twitter.com/l2CQmN5Bw4

— Tony Gerdeman (@TonyGerdeman) June 2, 2025

Although Rogers is only 5-foot-8 and 190 pounds, he uses his speed, quickness and ability to make defenders miss and make plays with the ball in his hands time and time again.

Immediate Impact

While Ohio State's running backs might lack experience, with West Virginia transfer CJ Donaldson being the lone one with any major playing time at the college level, the room makes up for it with talent and depth. James Peoples and Donaldson seem to lead the way for Ohio State’s one-two punch at the position this year, while Jackson, Sam Williams-Dixon and West are also candidates for playing time behind them.

With that, Rogers' ability to be a playmaker wherever he is lined up on the field is what differentiates him from the rest of Locklyn's room.

"We felt like, based on what we saw him do this year, he was lined up as a receiver a lot. He was a returner," Day said. "So he kind of gives us a little bit of that hybrid where he can line up a receiver, he can come into the backfield, he can return kicks. Haven't had a ton of those guys. Xavier Johnson was probably the guy who was probably the best comp that way. ... So guys who can do multiple job descriptions, I think their value is going to continue to increase, and I think Turbo is one of those guys.”

While it might be tough for Rogers to see significant snaps at running back in his first season in Columbus, his ability to be a game-changing returner paired with his versatility to play both running back and wide receiver increases the likelihood that Day and Brian Hartline will find a way to get him on the field, even if it is only on special teams early on.

Long-Term Impact

With Donaldson entering his final year of eligibility, Rogers will have a chance to push for real snaps at running back in 2026. Even if Peoples and Jackson are the one-two punch a season from now, Rogers' skill set will give Ohio State incentive to find a role for him with his ability to line up in multiple spots and create mismatches.

Whether it be in the backfield, in the slot or as a returner, expect Rogers to carve out a role by his second year as a Buckeye and become an impact player in Ohio State’s offense by his third year in Columbus.

Player Comparison: Curtis Samuel

This was obvious, right?

So many have tried, but too many have not been able to replicate Samuel's production at Ohio State. In three seasons as a Buckeye, the hybrid running back/wide receiver ran for 1,286 yards and 15 touchdowns on 172 carries and added 107 catches for 1,249 yards and nine touchdowns. Samuel was then selected in the second round of the 2017 NFL draft and the 5-foot-11, 195-pound receiver is entering his ninth season in the league.

Although Samuel was a bit bigger than Rogers, the latter is capable of providing the same type of do-it-all playmaking ability for the Buckeyes that Samuel did.