Editors Note: We at THN have been profiling many of the new players that have joined the team this offseason. In this next installment of the series, THN will introduce you to Roger “Rocky” McIntosh.
College: Miami
Height: 6-3
Position: LB
Weight: 237
Born: 11/15/1982
Draft: 2006 – 2nd round (3rd pick) by the Washington Redskins
Number: 52
With the No. 35 overall selection in the 2006 NFL Draft, the Washington Redskins selected Roger “Rocky” McIntosh from the University of Miami. Roger has been brought in to fill a void left by Lavar Arrington who departed to the NY Giants. The position of WLB is up for grabs between Chris Clemons, Warrick Holdman and Rocky McIntosh as the Skins head into training camp.
Versatility is a prerequisite for players under Gregg Williams command. Rocky continues that trend by offering a skill set that will allow the defense to be even better this year. Hard-hitting, hard-working, intelligent and unrelenting are all words that accurately describe this linebacker. The positions of strong-side linebacker, weak-side linebacker, and middle-linebacker are all possible assignments for this one player; he is the epitome of versatility.
McIntosh’s senior season included starts in the final 11 games, which aided in his earning of an All-Atlantic Coast Conference honorable mention. His list of seasonal accomplishments includes leading the Hurricanes with 89 tackles (50 of which were solo). Ten of his tackles were made behind the line of scrimmage for a loss. McIntosh recorded 5.5 sacks for a total of negative 45 yards. His forced fumble and two recoveries aided in Miami’s title of having the nations best pass defense.
As a junior in 2004, McIntosh started nine games out of the ten in which he played. Out of those nine starts, three were at middle linebacker and the rest at strong side linebacker. Roger placed second on the team with 111 tackles, 37 of which were solo. Thirteen of his tackles were for a loss with an addition of eight QB pressures, four sacks, three pass deflections and one forced fumble. His season was capped off by being selected as the teams Linebacker of the Year and being voted honorable mention All-ACC.
McIntosh had an abbreviated 2003 year due to a lingering knee injury from the preseason. However, he was able to make a season-high eight tackles in a win over Syracuse. Those eight tackles added to his count of 23 for the year. Overall Rocky only played in 12 games that season.
As a freshman in 2002, McIntosh started in six games, which included the final four games of the season. In his first game against Florida A&M, a young Roger McIntosh did not make one tackle. However, in his first starting assignment against Florida, Roger made two tackles to aide his team in victory. In total Roger accumulated 43 tackles (24 solo), 8 of those were for losses, one forced fumble and two tipped passes for the season. Rocky McIntosh was red-shirted in 2001.
In High School in Gaffney, S.C. McIntosh was one of the best linebackers in the nation. He earned Super Prep All-American honors, which ranked him as the No. 15 linebacker in the nation and was named to the South Carolina Shrine Bowl team. This is where his reputation as a hard-hitting and hard-working player was born.
-Christopher Allen
Edit: This blog was archived in May of 2016 from our original articles database.It was originally posted by Christopher Allen