NFL Draft 2018: Josh Rosen is the best quarterback in the class
Despite getting outshined by other players in the NFL Combine, Josh Rosen is still the best quarterback in the 2018 NFL Draft class.
Josh Rosen, the UCLA product who is projected to be one of the first players selected in the 2018 NFL Draft, is a polarizing athlete. While Rosen is highly talented, his leadership has been called into question throughout his young career. If the quarterback is to succeed at the next level, he will need to prove that he can manage a team in pressure situations.
If Rosen’s character is his weak point, he makes up for it with an in-depth knowledge of football. In addition to impressing NFL scouts at the Combine with accurate throws and poise, he also passed the interview process with flying colors.
Coming in, that wasn’t totally a given for Rosen:
Spoke to an NFL QB coach who said UCLA's Josh Rosen was the sharpest of all the quarterbacks he visited with here in Indy. "He was very impressive. He knows football inside and out."
— Bruce Feldman (@BruceFeldmanCFB) March 3, 2018
Rosen is smart, perhaps one of the smartest player in the entire draft. However, he has gotten himself into trouble with opinionated remarks. Recently, Rosen was at the center of a Twitter firestorm when Dave Zirin, editor of The Nation, reported the comments of Michael Lombardi of The Ringer. Lombardi said that Rosen “has to decide whether he wants to be a humanitarian or a football player.”
Zirin since deleted the Tweet after claiming he took Lombardi’s words out of context. Players, journalists, and analysts then came to the UCLA quarterbacks defense, including the likes of JJ Watt.
This is just as dumb as the “shut up and dribble” comment. Right or wrong, athletes are some of the most recognizable people in this country. That is an extremely powerful platform that so many use to do great things in their community. Who wouldn’t want that? #MoreThanAnAthlete https://t.co/wDKcj341n8
— JJ Watt (@JJWatt) March 7, 2018
Rosen clearly has other interests outside of football, which may lead some teams to question his love for the game. Other teams may look at him and see a well-rounded individual with unique viewpoints. Whatever the fact, Josh Rosen is certainly not shy about expressing himself.
Despite everything off the field, Rosen is still a football player — and a good one at that. The California-native saved his best season for his Junior year. He threw for 3,756 passing yards, 26 touchdowns, and a 62.6 completion percentage.
A tennis prodigy in high school, Rosen has excellent footwork and balance. The former Bruin gets the ball out quickly and has the most polished mechanics in his draft class. Though his completion percentage is average, Rosen was negatively impacted by 31 receiver drops last year.
Next: 2018 NFL Mock Draft: Post-Combine 3-Round projection
Rosen may not have the arm strength of Josh Allen or the escapability of Baker Mayfield, but he has outstanding skills that can be transferred to the NFL game. With more tools than any other quarterback in the draft, Rosen is sure to make noise for the rest of his career.