From prospects to pros: 2022 NFL Draft résumé for Kentucky offensive lineman Dare Rosenthal
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This year’s NFL Draft is April 28-30. A number of former University of Kentucky stars are eligible, and many are expected to be selected this year. We’re taking a look at every UK player who hopes to have their name called.
Dare Rosenthal
Height: 6-foot-7
Weight: 290 pounds
Hometown: Ferriday, La. (Ferriday)
Projected NFL position: Offensive tackle
What you’ll remember about him at UK: The hype. When he announced he was leaving LSU and was UK-bound, many anticipated that Kentucky would have one of the best offensive lines in the country — and it did, finishing as a finalist for the Joe Moore Award. Rosenthal did a swell job filling a significant hole on the Wildcats’ offensive line in 2021, but he did not turn out to be the overwhelming presence fans perhaps expected based on the fanfare surrounding his transfer.
Key stats: Gave up only three sacks in 24 college games (one in each of his three seasons). Allowed eight hits and 10 hurries in 2021. Total of 1,438 collegiate snaps, all at left tackle. Overall grade of 78.9 from Pro Football Focus.
Career development: A two-way lineman in high school who was recruited as a defender, Rosenthal redshirted his first season in Baton Rouge and moved full-time to the offensive line while he waited to see the field. He started three of the five games in which he played as a true freshman, and started five of seven games played in 2020. Off-the-field concerns resulted in Rosenthal’s departure from LSU, leading him to Lexington. He started all 12 regular-season games at left tackle for Kentucky before missing the Wildcats’ Citrus Bowl appearance due to an injury.
Latest draft projections: At one time, Rosenthal’s name was bandied about as a potential first-round pick. A week out from this year’s draft, he’s mentioned nowhere near the first round, but he’s improved his stock since the end of the season. An impressive performance at the NFL Combine — where he ran the fastest 40-yard dash of any offensive lineman there (4.88 seconds) — has most now projecting him to go somewhere in the fourth or fifth round.
His future: No Wildcat in this year’s draft would have benefited more from another year in college than Rosenthal, whose athleticism is eye-popping but has improvements to make fundamentally. Rosenthal has a physique that screams “take me in the first round,” and if he puts it all together, mentally, he has a chance to have as rewarding a career as any Wildcat vying for a roster spot this fall.
Quote: “Rosenthal is a leggy, long tackle with enticing athletic traits and a frame that still has room for growth. There are plenty of issues that will need to be corrected as both a run blocker and pass protector, but there’s talent to work with. A lack of core strength and questions about his maturity are two areas that could short-circuit his chances of becoming a developmental tackle prospect who could begin his career on a practice squad.”
This story was originally published April 21, 2022 at 8:05 AM.
