Chargers LT Rashawn Slater Calls It ‘a Huge Honor’ to Be Voted to Pro Bowl

The left tackle has played at a high level in his first season.

Four years ago, Rashawn Slater was finishing up his senior year at Clements High School in Sugar Land, Texas. He had only won three games in high school and had a couple of offers as a three-star recruit.

He decided to play for Pat Fitzgerald and the Northwestern Wildcats. After three strong seasons with the Wildcats and the performance of a lifetime against Ohio State's Chase Young, Slater decided to go into the draft after sitting out his senior year because of the uncertainty due to COVID-19.

This Sunday, Slater returns near his hometown. When his Chargers play in NRG Stadium, he will be 26 minutes away from Clements High School.

He is returning three days after finding out he will be the starting left tackle for the AFC in the pro bowl.

"For me, the biggest thing is just like it means I got the respect of the fans, players, and coaches, which to me is a huge deal and a huge honor," Slater said.

The NFL released the list at 5 p.m. Pacific, but he found out through family congratulating him.

"People started texting me. I guess people found out before I did," Slater said. "People were congratulating me over texts like' oh, shoot, I must have made it.'"

He was drafted 13th overall in the 2021 NFL Draft. As previously mentioned, he decided to sit out his senior year and prepare for the draft, especially with the uncertainty of the season. He began working with offensive personal coach Duke Mayweather, who prepared him for the next level.

"I've just had so many great people around me who have been guiding me in that direction of realizing what it takes at this level and what you have to do to succeed," Slater said.

After the draft, Slater told the media that he wanted to learn from the veterans on the offensive line. The Chargers had plenty of experience with Bryan Bulaga, Corey Linsley, and Matt Feiler.

"Bryan (Bulaga) when I first got here was such a huge help to me," Slater recalls. "Just teaching me like this is what you got to do at tackle in the NFL if you want to win. Same with Cory, Matt, and all those guys. So, really I'm just blessed to be here."

He went through the beginning of training camp but early on, it was evident that he was a special player. One of the first padded practices, he went up against pro bowl edge rusher Joey Bosa and was able to stop him three straight times.

He only had to play on the first drive of their opening preseason game against the San Francisco 49ers for head coach Brandon Staley and his staff didn't need to see any more from him in preseason games.

"Well deserved honor for him," offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi said. "I think he's played outstanding coming in as a rookie and just manning that left side for us. I think it is as good as you could have hoped."

In 13 games this season, Slater has looked like an all-pro left tackle for the team. He has given up four sacks and 22 pressures in over 500 snaps played, according to PFF.

He is one of six players on this Chargers team headed for the pro bowl. He is the first rookie tackle to be a pro bowl starter since Vikings tackle Matt Kalil did it in 2012.

"Really what stands out to me though, is like the way we look at it as a team we're so focused on going 1-0 this week, and like making that push in the playoffs that like I don't even think it's a huge deal to us like not that we don't appreciate it, but it's just ultimately your goal is to win Super Bowl, and that's what we're so focused on," Slater said to the media. "But I think it speaks a lot to the talent we have and how bright the future is here."

Slater will face against his favorite childhood team, the Houston Texans. It will be his first time playing on the field at NRG Stadium and not in the stands. It will be as a Los Angeles Charger.

When the Chargers drafted Slater 13th overall, the first thought process for the team must have been they have drafted their quarterback and left tackle for the next 10-15 years in back-to-back drafts.

The crazy part is that Slater is barely at the beginning of his NFL career and has so much room for growth in his game.

"From day one, I think we could see Rashawn was ready to go in and play," Lombardi said. "I think that's rare."