2022 Canes Recruiting Profile: Khamauri Rogers

If there’s one position group that the Canes need to pursue heavily in the 2022 recruiting class, its cornerback. With Miami going after several elite players at CB, there’s one name that UM fans have heard a lot about recently, 4-star cornerback Khamauri Rogers out of Holmes County High School in Lexington, Mississippi.

Rogers was in South Florida just a few weeks ago competing in the Battle Miami 7-on-7 tournament, and was recognized as one of the top performers from the weekend. Rogers de-committed from LSU in mid December, and Miami has been a program linked closely to his name.

247 Sports has Rogers ranked as the #7 2022 cornerback, #1 player in the state of Mississippi, and #61 2022 player nationally.

As a junior in 2020, Rogers was named second-team on the MaxPreps Junior All-America Team, ending the season with 30 tackles, 2 interceptions and 3 pass-breakups. Also playing wide receiver, Rogers had 17 receptions as a junior, for 328 yards and 6 touchdowns.

At 6-1 and 168 pounds, Rogers still needs to add size, though talking with people who were at the 7-on-7 tournament, they say Rogers had filled out considerably compared to last year. While he’s still maturing physically and putting on mass, Rogers’ speed and topnotch technique are two areas of his game that stands out, and part of what makes him a major target for the Canes.

Playing cornerback as well as some safety, Rogers has the quickness and awareness to break on a ball and make a play, making him terrific in coverage. You can tell he’s more fluid and probably more comfortable playing cornerback, but he’s also effective as a single high safety.

With his experience at wide receiver, Rogers’ ball skills makes him a big play type on defense, a player anticipating his next highlight on the field. He’s very impressing tracking the ball, and relentless in his attempt to make an interception or deflect a pass away.

When it comes to quick throws and short passes, Rogers is lockdown in coverage with his aggressive style. That comes in handy as a tackler as well, as he’s assertive and disruptive in the open field against ball carriers, very willing when defending the run.

Looking at Rogers, there is no glaring weakness in his game, only that he’ll need to continue to put on good size his last year in high school. Then, when he gets to the next level, his first year in a college strength and conditioning program will do wonders for him.

Rogers has over 25 Power-5 offers, from programs such as Notre Dame, Florida, Texas A&M and Oklahoma, with many more as well. Since de-committing from LSU in December and opening up his recruitment again, it’s been said that three schools pushing hard for Rogers is Miami, and then home-state schools Ole Miss and Mississippi State.

However, Rogers received a crystal ball on 247 Sports to Miami from a Mississippi State insider on Wednesday night, which I’m sure will excite Canes fans. Gaby Urruitia from 247 reported at the end of January, that Rogers has a good relationship with Canes cornerback coach DeMarcus Van Dyke. It also should be noted, Rogers has visited Miami’s campus in the past.

Now with new defensive backs coach Travaris Robinson in Coral Gables, it’ll be interesting to see how Rogers’ recruitment develops in the coming months. Rogers should be viewed as a major priority for Miami in 2022, and I fully expect the Hurricanes to continue to pursue heavily.