How UCLA's Josh Rosen stacks up in the…
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How UCLA's Josh Rosen stacks up in the NFL draft QB class
By Thuc Nhi Nguyen | thnguyen@scng.com | Daily News
PUBLISHED: April 24, 2018 at 2:51 p.m. | UPDATED: April 24, 2018 at 4:28 p.m.
Josh Rosen is no stranger to tough competition. He starred in the Trinity League in high school. He played in the Pac-12, which Sports Illustrated crowned "the conference of quarterbacks" last year. He even shared a city with one of the other top signal-callers in the country.
To make it at the next level, the former UCLA quarterback has to climb over another deep group of quarterbacks available in the NFL draft, which begins Thursday.
Each of the top five prospects at the position — Rosen, USC's Sam Darnold, Oklahoma's Baker Mayfield, Wyoming's Josh Allen, and Louisville's Lamar Jackson — offer separate skill sets and personalities. When speaking with reporters last Thursday, New York Giants general manager Dave Gettleman, who has the No. 2 overall pick in Thursday's draft, likened choosing a quarterback this year to picking a flavor of ice cream at Ben & Jerry's.
Rosen hopes a team will scoop him up quickly.
"I think I put the ball where it needs to be very accurately better than everybody else," Rosen said in March. "I think that's what I do as a quarterback."
Rosen's arm talent is unquestioned among NFL personnel. His throwing motion, which he has said was never molded by specialized throwing coaches, draws its roots from his days as a top junior tennis player. His devastating serve ultimately turned into one of the most coveted arms in the draft.
"Josh Rosen, the most natural thrower in the draft," NFL Network analyst Mike Mayock said, "but he reminds me of Sam Bradford, both because they throw the ball naturally, but also the question about durability. Rosen's been hurt in college. He has an inability to protect himself in the pocket. He's a tough kid, but he gets hurt a lot. I don't know if he can survive in the NFL pocket for prolonged periods of time."
Despite setting numerous records at UCLA, Rosen missed a combined nine games due to injuries the past two seasons. A shoulder injury cut his sophomore season in half and required surgery, although it was a minor procedure and did not impact his junior campaign during which he ranked second in the country in passing yards per game (341.5) and set the UCLA single-season passing record.
The bigger injury concern would be his two concussions sustained within a five-week span last year. Despite a month-long break between getting injured against Cal on Nov. 24 and UCLA's Cactus Bowl game Dec. 26, Rosen was not cleared to play in what would be his final game in a UCLA jersey.
"It's not how you get knocked down," Rosen said in March of his injury history, "it's how you get back up." He then quickly apologized for the cliché.
Rosen attempted 45.2 passes per interception last year, on par with Allen (45 passes per interception) and Jackson (43). Of the top five quarterbacks, Darnold threw the most interceptions last year at 13 (36.9 pass attempts per interception).
Mayfield, the Heisman Trophy winner, was in a stratosphere all his own at 67.3 pass attempts per pick. While undersized, the self-assured Oklahoma quarterback is likely closing in on Rosen in the draft race as the top three teams in the draft – the Browns (Nos. 1 and 4), Giants (No. 2) and Jets (No. 3) – could all be looking to draft their next great hope under center.
"From a Jets perspective, will they embrace the swagger of Mayfield (with the No. 3 pick), which is pretty significant," Mayock said, "and he might play really well and be successful, obviously, on Broadway."
Josh Rosen
Thuc Nhi Nguyen | reporter
Thuc Nhi Nguyen has covered UCLA for the Southern California News Group since 2016. A proud Seattle native, she majored in journalism and mathematics at the University of Washington. She likes graphs, animated GIFs and superheroes.
thnguyen@scng.com
Follow Thuc Nhi Nguyen @thucnhi21