Growing up in Silver Spring, Maryland, Rouse cultivated a passion for medicine early on, attending medical camps during summer breaks in cities including Boston and Philadelphia. His exposure to anatomy through hands-on dissections of animals and a strong science curriculum fueled his ambition to pursue a career in medicine, initially with hopes of attending Stanford University.
Rouse's athletic interests shifted when he arrived at Sidwell Friends School as a freshman, where he took up football and quickly secured the starting left tackle position. Although basketball remained a favored sport in his youth—partly inspired by his late grandfather Walter “Vic” Rouse, who played a historic role in Loyola University of Chicago’s 1963 NCAA championship—football became an area where he excelled. Over four years, he participated in multiple sports, including track, earned all-state honors twice, was nominated for the Gatorade Player of the Year, and helped lead his team to a state championship. His standout performance drew scholarship offers from prominent programs such as Notre Dame and Ohio State, but Stanford remained his top choice due to his longstanding academic goals.
At Stanford, where he started 11 games as a freshman, Rouse maintained his commitment to medicine while majoring initially in biology before transitioning to biomechanical engineering. One of his favorite courses was “Product Realization: Design and Making,” which involved designing and producing a physical product with the aid of storyboards, sketches, prototypes, and 3D printing technology. For this project, he crafted a barbell and trap bar stand shaped like the Stanford logo, gaining hands-on experience with computer numerical control machines and various welding techniques.
Rouse developed a particular interest in the applications of 3D printing within medicine, inspired by cases involving 3D-printed sternum implants, cranial mesh weaves, and inner ear bones used to restore hearing. These innovations intrigued him as examples of how technology could be integrated with healthcare, reinforcing his desire to combine engineering with medical science.
Despite his academic aspirations, Rouse’s focus shifted toward professional football after his sophomore season, recognizing the limited time frame athletes have to compete at the NFL level. Still, he remained dedicated to his studies, interning in the cardiothoracic department at Stanford University Medical Center and earning recognition as a finalist for the William V. Campbell Trophy, awarded to the nation’s top scholar-athlete combining academic achievement, performance, and leadership.
Seeking better football prospects, Rouse transferred to Oklahoma for his final collegiate season. There, he started 13 games at left tackle and did not allow a sack across 480 pass-blocking snaps, according to Pro Football Focus. The Minnesota Vikings selected him in the sixth round of the 2024 NFL Draft with the 177th overall pick. After two seasons and eight games with Minnesota, Rouse was traded to the New England Patriots in August 2026, stepping in as a starting left guard amid injuries on the team’s offensive line. He is under contract through 2027 and may continue with the Patriots as an interior lineman.
Throughout his NFL career, Rouse remains intent on completing his Stanford degree, ensuring the option to resume his education remains open. He envisions a post-football future where he can apply his interests in STEM and medicine, combining his love of problem-solving with a desire to help others. “We’ll see how long I’m in the league for and how it pans out,” Rouse said. “I still want to do something in the STEM world. I’ve always wanted to help people and I’ve always been curious about how the world works and love figuring things out.”