Lockout could stunt growth of Jacquizz Rodgers

Because Rodgers was across the country in class, he missed the Falcons’ players-only workouts in May and June at Buford High.

Rodgers has not talked to anyone from the front office or the coaching staff after receiving his draft-day call. He was taken on the third day of the draft, and the small window when the lockout was temporarily lifted had closed. Therefore, he does not have a playbook.

In each of his three seasons with the Falcons, coach Mike Smith has gotten his key rookies prepared quickly by using the “whole-part-whole” teaching method.

Normally, the Falcons would have had a minicamp, and Rodgers would have received the “whole” playbook. Then the Falcons would have come back and taught the playbook in parts before seeing if the player was able to grasp the whole system.

All of the first-round picks during Smith’s tenure, Matt Ryan, Sam Baker, Peria Jerry and Sean Weatherspoon saw action in their first professional games. Also, Curtis Lofton, a second-rounder in 2008, started in the base defense as a rookie.

Getting Rodgers up to speed will be one of the major challenges facing Smith and his staff if a new collective bargaining agreement is reached and training camp opens as scheduled July 29.

First-round pick Julio Jones attended most of the seven-on-seven practices after he was medically cleared from his foot surgery. He also has spent extensive time studying the playbook at Ryan’s house with the starting quarterback and with John Parker Wilson, who was Jones’ college quarterback for a season at Alabama.

But because of free agency, Rodgers could have a chance to earn the Falcons’ top reserve running back role behind Michael Turner if he can learn the offense fast enough. Running backs Jerious Norwood and Jason Snelling could leave during free agency.

If Norwood and Snelling leave, Rodgers would have to beat out Gartrell Johnson, Antone Smith and any free agents or undrafted rookie free agents the team may sign.

“There is always going to be a process of learning a new system,” Rodgers said. “In college, we ran a pro-styled offense where the plays were kind of complicated.”

Rodgers knows that carrying the ball will be the easy part. In the pros, most young backs struggle with pass protection.

“You have to know your protections and who you are blocking,” Rodgers said. “Once you figure that out, about the pass protections, with everything else you can rely on your natural ability. You get the ball and try to make a play with it.”

After finishing his class work, Rodgers returned to his hometown of Richmond, Texas, to prepare for more football.

“All I have been doing is running, putting on a little weight — muscle weight,” Rodgers said. “I’m just getting stronger and faster.”

The Falcons traded their fifth-round pick (158th overall) and one of their seventh-round picks (229) to move up 13 spots to select Rodgers.

He was extremely productive in college as he rushed for more than 1,000 yards in each of his three seasons and caught 151 passes.

Rogers, who’s 5-foot-6 believes he can have an impact like Baltimore’s Ray Rice (5-8) and Jacksonville’s Maurice Jones-Drew (5-7), and he’s keeping a close eye on the labor negotiations.

“It’s a thing where you have to keep working hard because you never know when it’s going to end,” Rodgers said. “Some guys are probably sitting on their butts. When camp [opens], they’ll be out of shape. ... I don’t want to be trying to still get in shape and learn the playbook also.”

Despite not knowing the offense, Rodgers believes he still can contribute as a rookie.

“That’s my plan,” Rodgers said. “I want to come in there, learn from the veteran guys. I want to play a part, no matter what it is. I can start out on special teams. I just want to do something that can help the team win games and go from there.”