Roger Rosengarten had to wait a little longer than expected to hear his name called in the 2024 NFL Draft. Ironically, it was metaphoric for the amount of time Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson can expect to have for years to come.
The Ravens selected Rosengarten, a two-year starter at right tackle over the past two seasons at Washington protecting Atlanta Falcons first-round pick, quarterback Michael Penix Jr., with the No. 62 overall pick in the second round.
He is the fifth UW player to hear their name called in the first two rounds of this year’s draft.
In 1,163 pass blocking snaps, Rosengarten never allowed a sack, according to Pro Football Focus. If there’s one stat that exemplifies what the UW offensive lineman brings to Baltimore, it’s that.
However, the former four-star recruit in the 2020 class out of Valor Christian in Highlands Ranch, Colorado, proved to be more than just a stalwart pass protector.
In the first of three consecutive victories for UW over the Oregon Ducks under Kalen DeBoer on Nov. 12, 2022, Rosengarten stood up defensive end Treven Ma’ae to blow open a lane for running back Wayne Taulapapa to run through for a 13-yard touchdown to open the game.
It’s just one of many times that Rosengarten key’d a touchdown for the Huskies over the past two seasons. It also was a sign of what was to come in 2023 as the UW offensive line unit was honored with the 2023 Joe Moore Award, named to the best OL in college football.
Rosengarten should come in and compete as a rookie for the Ravens starting right tackle job after the organization traded Morgan Moses, who started 16 games last season at the position for Baltimore, to the New York Jets this off-season.
He’ll compete with former California Golden Bears lineman Patrick Mekari, who served as the Ravens backup right tackle last season playing 187 snaps at the position.
Before he arrived at Washington in 2020, Rosengarten already had NFL coaching at Valor Christian. Tyler Polumbus, a 10-year veteran who played for the Denver Broncos, Seattle Seahawks, Detroit Lions and the now Washington Commanders, and 8-year vet Ben Hamilton both coached him in high school.
Rosengarten was stifled by a shortened freshman season in 2020, playing one game at Arizona in a shortened 4 game campaign for UW.
With limited game experience and then-Husky offensive coordinator John Donovan wanting more of a heavier offensive line, Rosengarten played just four games in a reserve role in 2021 behind starter Victor Curne.
The change in offensive scheme combined with the arrival of DeBoer and OC Ryan Grubb, and Curne choosing to transfer to Ole Miss for his final season in 2022, Rosengarten won the job after an impressive spring and fall camp and never looked back.
Now he gets to look forward to a career in the NFL with one of the better organizations in the league.