A little name recognition can't hurt.

It will take more than the fact that he is the younger brother of an NFL MVP, however, for Jordan Rodgers to earn a job with the British Columbia Lions of the Canadian Football League.

Rodgers, a former Vanderbilt quarterback, is one of five currently competing to be that team's backup. The starter is Travis Lulay, who has led a team to the Grey Cup and been named the CFL's Most Outstanding Player, but there is opportunity behind him.

"I've been with a lot of teams and I've been at a lot of levels with a lot of guys," Rodgers said, according to BoxscoreNews.com. "I think leadership is a thing I bring to the table.

"I'm able to lead guys and I think I have that swagger, that chip that a quarterback needs to be successful."

Rodgers was Vanderbilt's starting quarterback in 2011 and 2012 and then tried to make it in the NFL as an undrafted free agent. He spent time with Jacksonville, Tampa Bay and Miami but the Dolphins released him prior to training camp last summer and he was out of a job.

British Columbia signed him last October, when the CFL allows for expanded rosters. He did not play in a game but got a sense of the differences between the American and Canadian games.

"It's becoming more of a second nature, and it was good to have the offseason to get the receivers to practice those routes and really study the game a little more," Rodgers said.

Of course, it can't hurt that the Lions' first-year coach is Jeff Tedford, a former head coach at Cal and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive coordinator last season. At Cal, Tedford helped develop Rodgers' brother Aaron into a first-round draft pick.

"It's good to have a brand new offense, and me, I didn't get too engrained with the offense last year only being here for a few weeks," Rodgers said. "I'm starting fresh - everyone's starting fresh and it's a good opportunity."

The CFL regular season begins the last week in June and British Columbia's opener is July 4.

(Photo: B.C. Lions)