Rashawn Slater is an **American professional football offensive tackle** for the Los Angeles Chargers of the National Football League.[1] Born March 26, 1999, the 6'4", 315-pound lineman has established himself as one of the league's premier pass protectors since entering the NFL.[1][5] Slater played college football at Northwestern University, where he demonstrated exceptional versatility and technique across three seasons.[1] As a true freshman in 2017, he started all 12 games at right tackle and earned recognition as the top freshman offensive lineman in the nation by Pro Football Focus.[1][4] He was named to the Big Ten Conference All-Freshman Team.[4] In his sophomore year, he started all 14 games at right tackle and received third-team All-Big Ten honors from league coaches.[1][4] As a junior in 2019, Slater moved to left tackle and started 11 games while allowing zero sacks, demonstrating elite pass protection skills.[1][4] He opted out of the 2020 season before entering the 2021 NFL Draft.[3] The Los Angeles Chargers selected Slater with the 13th overall pick in the first round of the 2021 NFL Draft.[1] He immediately made an impact as a rookie, starting at left tackle and earning Pro Bowl selection and All-Rookie Team honors.[1] Despite a biceps tendon injury that ended his 2022 season, Slater returned to start all 17 games in 2023 and 15 games in 2024.[1] In July 2025, Slater signed a significant four-year, $114 million contract extension with the Chargers, securing his future through the 2029 season.[1] However, his 2025 season ended prematurely when he suffered a torn patellar tendon during practice in August 2025, resulting in him missing the entire season.[1] Slater currently remains under contract with the Chargers as a cornerstone piece of their offensive line.