Ravens take Washington OT Roger Rosengarten with No. 62 pick in second round of 2024 NFL draft
The first thing Roger Rosengarten thought of when he heard his name called by the Ravens during Friday night’s second round of the NFL draft was getting the opportunity to block for quarterback Lamar Jackson and newly acquired running back Derrick Henry.
“It’s a dream come true,” said the 6-foot-5, 308-pound right tackle out of Washington, whom Baltimore selected with the 62nd overall pick. “You think Lamar then you think the new addition of Derrick Henry. You get a guy that high level running, the guy runs hard, trusts his O-linemen. To see [Henry] on Baltimore, it’s super exciting. To know I’m gonna get reps blocking for Derrick Henry, you don’t really think of growing up watching him at Alabama, then he wins the Heisman, then you kind of come full circle [and] you get to block for a guy like that. It’s super special.”
The Ravens hope to say the same about Rosengarten’s performance in Baltimore as they undergo an overhaul on the offensive line with three new starters up front this season.
Gone are guards John Simpson and Kevin Zeitler, signing lucrative deals with the New York Jets and Detroit Lions, respectively. Right tackle Morgan Moses, meanwhile, was dealt to the New York Jets in a draft pick swap.
During Friday’s opening round of the draft, general manager Eric DeCosta was blunt in his answer when asked if he felt Baltimore could get an offensive linemen who could contribute immediately after using the team’s first-round pick on Clemson cornerback Nate Wiggins.
“Yes, I do,” he said.
It was of little surprise that the Ravens selected Rosengarten.
A key contributor to a unit that won the Joe Moore Award as college football’s top offensive line last season, Rosengarten played a major role in helping the Huskies’ run to the national championship game. He didn’t allow a sack in 984 snaps at right tackle, three at left tackle and two at right guard, per Pro Football Focus, as he protected the blindside of left-handed quarterback Michael Penix Jr., the Atlanta Falcons’ No. 8 overall draft pick.
Where Rosengarten plays along the Ravens’ offensive line remains to be seen, but with the right tackle spot open, that would be the most likely position.
It should help, too, that he played alongside a quarterback with the ability to scramble in Penix.
“In practice he would branch out and get in that scramble mindset,” Rosengarten said. “I learned to adapt to it very quickly. Thankfully he didn’t have to do that too much in games, but in practice it was on.”
In landing Rosengarten, the Ravens also get a player who has proven he’s capable of getting out in space, though he was known more for his pass blocking in the pass-heavy Washington offense.
Rosengarten’s 40-yard dash time of 4.92 seconds at the NFL scouting combine was the fastest among all offensive linemen. Though light by tackle standards, he feels that’s one of his strengths and said he can play anywhere between 305 and 315 pounds.
“I just want to make sure I’m mobile, feel athletic,” he said. “I just want to feel strong, especially mobile, feel athletic on the edge and get out in space.”
He’s had plenty of tutelage along the way, too. Rosengarten’s defensive line coach was a UCLA teammate of former Ravens star and Pro Football Hall of Fame offensive lineman Jonathan Ogden. He has also worked with former San Francisco 49ers lineman and six-time Pro Bowl selection Joe Staley.
A native of Colorado, Rosengarten played high school basketball as well. He said his skills on the court translated well to the football field. He also found inspiration in Denver Nuggets star Nikola Jokic.
“Whether you’re guarding a guy on the perimeter or the interior, you block a guy with your feet first,” he said. “That basketball background [definitely] helps me out a lot.
“I’ve come to love Jokic’s game, how he plays and dominates and bringing those same traits to the offensive line I’d love to dominate and make it look easy.”