Rosengarten has some very high potential.
The Baltimore Ravens may have gone in a different direction than most fans expected early in the 2024 NFL Draft by taking a cornerback in Clemson’s Nate Wiggins in the first round. Luckily, the selection of Washington right tackle Roger Rosengarten in the second round calmed those fans down.
With right tackle wide open after the trade of Morgan Moses, Rosengarten will try to take the momentum he accrued during a year in which he helped protect Michael Penix Jr. on his way to a National Championship appearance. The Huskies alum will try to take the starting job away from either Daniel Faalele or Josh Jones.
While some teams might not be all-in on the fact Rosengarten was a pure right tackle in college, a Ravens team leaning on Todd Monken’s vertical passing game could get a ton of use out of a player with his combination of athleticism and refined footwork in pass protection.
The Ravens don’t need to look too far around the NFL to find a standout tackle who Rosengarten can emulate. Looking at the Atlanta Falcons, former top pick Jake Matthews has the blend of tremendous mobility and surprisingly light feet in pass protection for Rosengarten to emulate.
Ravens OT Roger Rosengarten player comparison: Falcons OT Jake Matthews
Matthews, like Rosengarten, posted a Relative Athletic Score (RAS) above 9.00, all while showcasing a solid blend of power despite a frame that barely scraped over the 300-pound threshold. The durable Matthews was able to eventually become a solid enough run blocker to become Atlanta’s locked-in left tackle.
Rosengarten is going to be a worthwhile pass protector the second he steps on an NFL field, as he didn’t allow a single sack during his final two seasons at Washington. He did this as a blindside protector for the left-handed Penix, which Eric DeCosta assuredly took notice of.
While he isn’t the most dominant run blocker (a must in a Ravens offense that will lean on Lamar Jackson’s legs and Derrick Henry’s hulking bulk to carry them) at this point, his athletic frame and quick improvement during his college tenure suggests that he will be able to improve in that area relatively soon.
The Ravens will put Rosengarten in competition with Faalele and Jones to begin his pro career, but everything about his player profile and pedigree suggests he will have a leg up in this competition. If he ends up turning into Matthews, another long-term extension for DeCosta might be warranted.