Former Valor Christian football and basketball star Roger Rosengarten watched his dream turn into a reality on Friday night.
The Baltimore Ravens took Rosengarten, a Highlands Ranch native, in the second round (62nd overall) of the NFL draft.
Rosengarten will join a Ravens draft class that currently includes Clemson cornerback Nate Wiggins, who was taken 30th overall on Thursday.
When Rosengarten received word that he was going to Baltimore, the first thing that came to his mind was the opportunity to block for quarterback and 2-time MVP Lamar Jackson.
“That’s an elite level quarterback. … It’s a dream come true,” Rosengarten said in a conference call. “Baltimore is one of those places where it’s been a historic program for such a long time, and just to hear my name called was such a great feeling.”
Rosengarten didn’t have a top-30 visit with Baltimore because it took only 10 minutes during a meeting at the combine for the team to realize he fit what it was looking for in an offensive tackle.
“They said ‘Hey, there’s no need to spend all 17 minutes on this.’ I knew from there,” he said.
Rosengarten, who didn’t start playing offensive line until his junior year of high school, developed into a four-star prospect and the top-ranked player in Colorado from the 2020 class, according to 247sports.
Rosengarten played in 33 games during his four-year stint at Washington. He protected quarterback Michael Penix Jr.’s blindside over the last two seasons, starting in 28 contests.
In 2023, Rosengarten played a major role in the Huskies’ run to the national title game, as he didn’t allow a sack in 984 snaps at right tackle, two at right guard and three at left tackle, according to Pro Football Focus.
Rosengarten said he’s comfortable playing at left and right tackle in the NFL while adding that his run blocking is an underrated trait of his.
“We were kind of in a spread offense (at Washington),” he said. “But it doesn’t matter what scheme it is. I feel confident in run-pass (option), screens and getting out in space.”
Rosengarten improved his stock during the NFL scouting combine after he completed the 40-yard dash in 4.92 seconds — the fastest among offensive linemen. Last month, NFL draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr. said Rosengarten had the potential to be a late first- or early second-round pick.
“He had a rough national title game but a good year overall,” Kiper said. “If he would’ve (gone) back (to Washington), he would’ve gone higher.”
Rosengarten said he’s ready to compete right away. And with the Ravens losing three starting offensive linemen in free agency, he will have a chance to.
“I’d love to dominate and make it look easy,” he said.
McCaffrey to Washington: Rosengarten wasn’t the only former Valor player to get drafted on Friday. Luke McCaffrey, who converted from quarterback to wide receiver in college, was drafted by the Washington Commanders with the final pick of the third round.
McCaffrey comes from a strong football background. His brother Christian is a star running back for the San Francisco 49ers while his father, Ed, played nine seasons with the Broncos. McCaffrey had his best season as a pass catcher in 2023, totaling 992 receiving yards and 13 touchdowns.
