ESPN tabs Kentucky transfer as Auburn football newcomer to watch

The Auburn football team brought in a whopping 12 transfers during this offseason under the leadership of new head coach Hugh Freeze, and all of them were extremely necessary.

From the offensive line to the wide receivers to linebackers and beyond, Freeze and his staff added quite a few playmakers to the Tigers’ roster ahead of the 2023 season.

Several transfers made their way to the Plains from other schools around the SEC, including Austin Keys from Ole Miss, DeMario Tolan from LSU, and Elijah McAllister from Vanderbilt. But according to ESPN’s Chris Lowe and Harry Lyles Jr., Justin Rogers—an incoming transfer from Kentucky—is Auburn football’s newcomer to watch this year:

"When Auburn has been at its best, the Tigers have almost always been menacing in the defensive line. That’s what makes Kentucky transfer Justin Rogers so valuable to this defense. The 6-foot-3, 330-pound tackle has gotten better each year he’s been in the SEC and should be a staple in the middle of the Auburn defensive front."

Rogers played three seasons in Lexington, and progressed in each one with his breakout season coming in 2022. He saw plenty of game action as a true freshman, and started several games as a sophomore in 2021. Last season, he started 12 of 13 games and was named to the Pre-Season All-SEC Fourth Team, per his Kentucky athlete bio.

Over three seasons as a Wildcat, Rogers racked up 60 total tackles, five tackles for loss, and three sacks. He put up a career high of nine tackles in the 2022 contest versus Vanderbilt. He will join a defensive line room including Jeffrey M’Ba, Marcus Harris, Jayson Jones, and incoming transfer Mosiah Nasili-Kite, to name a few.

New defensive coordinator Ron Roberts is expected to produce an aggressive defense this fall, and Justin Rogers will be a key piece of the puzzle.