Rashawn Slater
{{Short description|American football player (born 1999)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2024}}
{{Infobox NFL biography
| name = Rashawn Slater
| image = Rashawn Slater (51509104406) (cropped).jpg
| alt =
| caption = Slater with the Los Angeles Chargers in 2021
| current_team = Los Angeles Chargers
| number = 70
| position = Offensive tackle
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1999|3|26}}
| birth_place = Sugar Land, Texas, U.S.
| death_date =
| death_place =
| height_ft = 6
| height_in = 4
| weight_lb = 315
| high_school = Clements (Sugar Land, Texas)
| college = Northwestern (2017–2020)
| draftyear = 2021
| draftround = 1
| draftpick = 13
| pastteams =
- Los Angeles Chargers ({{NFL Year|2021}}–present)
| status = Active
| highlights =
- Second-team All-Pro (2021)
- 2× Pro Bowl (2021, 2024)
- PFWA All-Rookie Team (2021)
- Third-team All-Big Ten (2018)
| statseason = 2024
| statweek =
| statlabel1 = Games played
| statvalue1 = 51
| statlabel2 = Games started
| statvalue2 = 51
| pfr = SlatRa00
}}
Rashawn Slater (born March 26, 1999) is an American professional football offensive tackle for the Los Angeles Chargers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Northwestern Wildcats and was selected by the Chargers in the first round of the 2021 NFL draft.
Early life
Slater grew up in Sugar Land, Texas and attended Fort Settlement Middle School and Clements High School. He was named first team All-District as a junior and senior, when he was also named second team All-Greater Houston.{{Cite web |last=Marrion |first=Jack |date=August 22, 2016 |title=Clements, Dulles take leadership change into season |url=https://www.chron.com/neighborhood/fortbend/sports/article/Clements-Dulles-take-leadership-change-into-9891541.php |access-date=October 21, 2020 |website=Houston Chronicle}} Slater was rated a three star recruit and committed to play college football for the Northwestern Wildcats over offers from Illinois, Kansas, Wyoming and Rice.{{Cite web |last=Bushnell |first=Henry |date=January 27, 2016 |title=Three-star 2017 offensive guard Rashawn Slater commits to Northwestern over Illinois |url=https://www.insidenu.com/2016/1/27/10854074/rashawn-slater-northwestern-football-commit-recruiting |access-date=October 20, 2020 |website=InsideNU}}
College career
File:RashawnSlaterNU.jpgAs a true freshman, Slater started 12 games at right tackle and was named Big Ten Conference All-Freshman Team.{{Cite web |last=Kroeger |first=Garrett |date=December 14, 2017 |title=Rashawn Slater named PFF's best freshman offensive lineman |url=https://saturdaytradition.com/northwestern-football/rashawn-slater-named-pffs-best-freshman-offensive-lineman/ |access-date=October 20, 2020 |website=Saturday Tradition}} He was rated the best freshman offensive lineman in the nation by Pro Football Focus.{{Cite web |last=Citak |first=Matt |date=February 16, 2021 |title=Bucky Brooks' top five non-QB draft prospects |url=https://www.giants.com/news/bucky-brooks-2021-nfl-draft-kyle-pitts-jamarr-chase-penei-sewell-micah-parsons |access-date=January 6, 2022 |website=Giants.com}} As a sophomore, Slater was named to the third team All-Big Ten by the league's coaches after starting all 14 of Northwestern's games.{{Cite web |last=Wilson |first=Aaron |date=July 10, 2020 |title=Northwestern OL Rashawn Slater adapts to Big Ten's conference-only format |url=https://www.houstonchronicle.com/texas-sports-nation/college/article/Northwestern-OL-Rashawn-Slater-adapts-to-Big-15400661.php |access-date=October 20, 2020 |website=Houston Chronicle}}{{Cite web |last=Koch |first=Curtis |date=October 29, 2019 |title=Left Tackle Rashawn Slater: 'We've got to attack the process.' |url=https://wgnradio.com/sports/collegiately-speaking-left-tackle-rashawn-slater-weve-got-to-attack-the-process/ |access-date=October 21, 2020 |website=WGN}} Slater was named honorable mention All-Big Ten after allowing zero sacks in 11 starts as a junior.{{Cite web |last=Coleman |first=Adam |date=August 20, 2020 |title=Northwestern lineman, Clements product Rashawn Slater declares for 2021 NFL Draft |url=https://www.houstonchronicle.com/texas-sports-nation/college/article/Northwestern-Clements-Rashawn-Slater-NFL-draft-15500222.php |access-date=October 20, 2020 |website=Houston Chronicle}}
Entering his senior year, Slater was named a preseason All-American, preseason All-Big Ten and to the Outland Trophy watchlist.{{Cite web |last=Assimakopoulos |first=Lia |date=August 20, 2020 |title=BREAKING: Rashawn Slater opts out of 2021 spring college football season, declares for NFL Draft |url=https://www.insidenu.com/2020/8/20/21377888/breaking-rashawn-slater-opts-out-of-2021-spring-college-football-season-declares-for-nfl-draft |access-date=May 28, 2023 |website=InsideNU |language=en}} Following the early announcement that Big Ten would postpone their 2020 season due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Slater announced that he would be preparing for the 2021 NFL draft.{{Cite web |last=VanHaaren |first=Tom |date=August 20, 2020 |title=Northwestern OL Rashawn Slater to skip senior season, enter NFL draft |url=https://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/29705678/northwestern-ol-rashawn-slater-skip-senior-season-enter-nfl-draft |access-date=October 20, 2020 |website=ESPN.com}}{{Cite web |last=Kosko |first=Nick |date=September 24, 2020 |title=Rashawn Slater not returning to Northwestern this fall |url=https://247sports.com/Article/Rashawn-Slater-not-returning-Northwestern-this-fall-opt-out-NFL-Draft-2021-Big-Ten-football-151907790/ |access-date=October 20, 2020 |website=247sports.com}} He remained enrolled at Northwestern and graduated with a degree in communications in December 2020.{{Cite web |last=Vaccher |first=Louie |date=February 24, 2021 |title=Slater is not an underdog anymore |url=https://northwestern.rivals.com/news/slater-is-not-an-underdog-anymore |access-date=January 6, 2022 |website=Rivals.com}}
Professional career
{{NFL predraft
| height ft = 6
| height in = 4¼
| weight = 304
| dash = 4.88
| ten split = 1.68
| twenty split = 2.89
| shuttle = 4.45
| cone drill = 7.48
| vertical = 33.0
| broad ft = 9
| broad in = 4
| bench = 33
| arm span = 33
| hand span = 10½
| wonderlic =
| note = All values from Pro Day{{Cite web |title=Rashawn Slater, Northwestern, OG, 2021 NFL Draft Scout, NCAA College Football |url=http://draftscout.com/dsprofile.php?PlayerId=1022350&DraftYear=2021 |access-date=September 7, 2021 |website=draftscout.com}}
}}
Slater was selected by the Los Angeles Chargers in the first round (13th overall) of the 2021 NFL draft.{{Cite web |last=Hayre |first=Chris |date=April 29, 2021 |title=Chargers Draft OT Rashawn Slater with 13th Pick |url=https://www.chargers.com/news/rashawn-slater-nfl-draft-offensive-tackle-northwestern |access-date=May 2, 2021 |website=Chargers.com}} He signed his four-year rookie contract on July 27, 2021.{{Cite web |date=July 27, 2021 |title=Roundup: Chargers' first-round OT Rashawn Slater agrees to terms on rookie deal |url=https://www.nfl.com/news/roundup-chargers-first-round-ot-rashawn-slater-agrees-to-terms-on-rookie-deal |access-date=July 27, 2021 |website=NFL.com}}
As a rookie, Slater was named the Chargers starting left tackle and was named to his first Pro Bowl as a starter. He was named to the PFWA All-Rookie Team.{{Cite web |title=2021 NFL All-Rookie Team |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/awards/nfl-all-rookie-2021.htm |access-date=2024-07-27 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en}}
Against the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 3 of the 2022 season, Slater ruptured his biceps tendon, which ended his season.{{Cite web |last=Shook |first=Nick |date=September 26, 2022 |title=Chargers LT Rashawn Slater suffers ruptured biceps tendon, expected to miss rest of 2022 season |url=https://www.nfl.com/news/chargers-lt-rashawn-slater-suffers-ruptured-biceps-tendon-expected-to-miss-rest- |access-date=September 26, 2022 |website=NFL.com}} He started all 17 games in the 2023 season.{{Cite web |title=Rashawn Slater 2023 Game Log |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/S/SlatRa00/gamelog/2023/ |access-date=2025-03-16 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en}}
On April 29, 2024, the Chargers picked up the fifth-year option on Slater's contract.{{cite web | last=Insdorf | first=Alex | title=Chargers pick up fifth-year option on Rashawn Slater | website=Chargers Wire|publisher=USA Today | date=2024-04-29 | url=https://chargerswire.usatoday.com/2024/04/29/chargers-rashawn-slater-fifth-year-option/ | access-date=2024-10-18}} He started in 15 games in the 2024 season.{{Cite web |title=Rashawn Slater 2024 Game Log |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/S/SlatRa00/gamelog/2024/ |access-date=2025-03-16 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en}}
=Regular season statistics=
| class="wikitable"
! colspan="2"| Legend |
| Bold
| Career high |
| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;" | ||||||||
| rowspan="2"| Year
! rowspan="2"| Team ! colspan="2"| Games ! colspan="8"| Offense | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | GS | Snaps | Pct | Holding | False start | Decl/Pen | Acpt/Pen | |
| style="background:#cfecec; width:3em;"|2021 | LAC
| 16 || 16 || 1,116 || 100% || 3 || 3 || 0 || 6 | |||||||
| 2022 | LAC
| 3 || 3 || 175 || 86% || 1 || 0 || 0 || 1 | |||||||
| 2023 | LAC
| 17 || 17 || 1,158 || 100% || 7 || 0 || 1 || 8 | |||||||
| 2024 | LAC
| 15 || 15 || 904 || 97% || 2 || 0 || 0 || 2 | |||||||
| colspan="2"| [https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/S/SlatRa00.htm Career] | 51 | 51 | 3,353 | – | 13 | 3 | 1 | 17 |
Personal life
Slater is the son of former NBA player Reggie Slater.{{Cite web |last=Greenstein |first=Teddy |date=August 30, 2017 |title=A fresh approach |url=https://digitaledition.chicagotribune.com/tribune/article_popover.aspx?guid=83a6ec46-0b2c-4eb2-90b5-dec0ff71f972 |access-date=October 20, 2020 |website=Chicago Tribune}} His older brother, RJ, was an offensive lineman for the United States Air Force Academy from 2014–2017.{{Cite web |title=R.J. Slater – Football |url=https://goairforcefalcons.com/sports/football/roster/r-j-slater/1536 |access-date=May 28, 2023 |website=Air Force Academy Athletics |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Popper |first=Daniel |date=August 2, 2021 |title=Chargers rookie Rashawn Slater’s football love affair: ‘The sacrifices only made it grow fonder’ |url=https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/2738830/2021/08/02/too-nice-chargers-rookie-rashawn-slater-has-a-different-side-hes-ready-to-unleash-he-turns-into-the-hulk/ |access-date=May 28, 2023 |website=The Athletic |language=en}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
{{Commons}}
- [https://www.chargers.com/team/players-roster/rashawn-slater/ Los Angeles Chargers bio]
- [https://nusports.com/sports/football/roster/rashawn-slater/8396 Northwestern Wildcats bio]
{{Los Angeles Chargers roster navbox}}
{{2021 NFL Draft}}
{{ChargersFirstPick}}
{{Los Angeles Chargers 2021 draft navbox}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Slater, Rashawn}}
Category:American football offensive tackles
Category:Northwestern Wildcats football players
Category:Players of American football from Sugar Land, Texas
Category:Los Angeles Chargers players