QB SCOUTING REPORTS - qb2 josh rosen, ucla

A five-star blue chipper and #1 overall high school QB recruit, Josh Rosen managed to meet the considerable expectations and secure his place among the very best QBs in UCLA’s history over the course of his college career. Still, there was a lot of failure mixed in with the success as Rosen was just 17-13 overall as a starter and an ugly 0-5 on the road in 2017. He is in many ways the prototypical, traditional NFL pocket passing prospect, with size, arm talent, textbook mechanics and charisma. However, inconsistent results (which eventually contributed to the firing of his coach Jim Mora) over the course of his career and concerns over his level of candor with the media has created an air of uncertainty around his status in the minds of NFL organizations.  

PROS

Gorgeous mechanics, throwing motion and release produce a pretty ball that carries well. Has enough arm to make all the needed NFL throws and his velocity and accuracy on intermediate throws over the middle of the field is consistently impressive. Extremely aggressive and confident attacking passer who does not shy away from downfield shots, almost to a detriment. Good height and nimble athleticism in the pocket with a movement style inherited from his days as a tennis star. Lower body mechanics and footwork are very strong, as is his pocket feel, but he often employs an Eli Manning-esque bounce in the pocket that can throw off his passing rhythm and timing. Demonstrates an advanced ability to read defenses in both the pre and post-snap as well as making multiple progression reads in a pro style system. Even catches defenses in mid-substitution at times for free plays and free yards reminiscent of Aaron Rodgers. Very cerebral player and person who has worked to improve his leadership skills after widely reported maturity issues early in his UCLA career.

CONS

Has a troubling injury history as his throwing shoulder was surgically repaired in 2016 and he suffered through serious concussion issues late in the 2017 season. Durability at the pro level is a legitimate concern. Strangely inconsistent with his accuracy and release. Will make an NFL-level throw on one play and ground a pass to an open target on the next. Hyper-aggressiveness in the downfield passing game can get him into trouble as he often puts too much air under deep attempts. Can also force the ball to covered targets unnecessarily and will occasionally fall into the trap of trying to make the spectacular play over the smart one. Doesn’t always play up to his intelligence level when managing certain game situations. Not a good passer on the move or outside of the pocket. Has faced questions from the start of his college career about his leadership capabilities. Not afraid to cause controversy with his honesty in the media.

VERDICT

If he can stay healthy, there’s little reason to believe Josh Rosen will have trouble obtaining and holding down a starting NFL gig in the years to come. From a strictly talent evaluation standpoint, the real question is just how good will he be? Rosen has the physical and mental tools to become a top-tier pro QB. But it will take the combination of the right environment and his own internal motivation to consistently improve and refine his pure pocket passing skill set over the course of his career in the way that say a Matt Ryan did in the years between being drafted 3rd overall in 2008 to his MVP season in 2016. Rosen should be ready to play right away but could certainly benefit from a prep year behind a veteran QB.

PROSPECT COMPS 

Matt Ryan, Eli Manning

GRADE

TOP 10