Former EWU player Jake Rodgers still has hopes of playing in NFL

Jake Rodgers figures he did everything he could to earn a chance to play on Sundays.

He still might, but the former Shadle Park, Washington State and Eastern Washington star is biding his time after being waived last weekend by the Atlanta Falcons.

“I thought I had a chance to make the roster, but I really wasn’t sure,” said Rodgers, a seventh-round pick in this year’s NFL draft. After playing in all four of the Falcons’ preseason games, Rodgers was among the last players to be cut as NFL teams reduced rosters to the regular-season limit of 53.

He got the news Friday, returned to Spokane over the weekend, and on Wednesday, the 6-foot-6, 320-pound offensive tackle was playing golf and planning his future.

“Right now, the plan is to keep working out and staying in shape for a chance to get back,” Rodgers said. “From the way it sounds, that is very likely.”

Rodgers, an all-state lineman in high school, graduated from Shadle in 2010 and played two years at Washington State before transferring to Eastern in 2013. Rodgers was an FCS All-American last season after helping the Eagles finish first in FCS in scoring offense (44.1 per game) and first downs (361), second in passing efficiency (163.52), third in total offense (513.4 yards per game) and second in passing offense (328.2 ypg).

He ended his career by being named to six All-America teams in 2014, including first-team honors by the American Football Coaches Association, Associated Press, Walter Camp FB Foundation, College Sports Madness and Beyond Sports Network.

While with the Falcons, Rodgers said he gained valuable experience “playing with guys I’ve seen on TV – how they operate and take care of themselves.”

Rodgers suffered a minor ankle sprain in his first preseason game, but said it wasn’t serious and didn’t impact his chances of making the roster. When the bad news came, Rodgers’ said it was delivered in a positive manner. Rodgers felt he was improving as the preseason went on.

“I felt like I did that,” Rodgers said.