Greg Cosell's draft analysis: Josh Rosen is the most refined, and perhaps best, QB in this class

[C Mart]

Please be there at #3

Greg Cosell's draft analysis: Josh Rosen is the most refined, and perhaps best, QB in this class

Greg Cosell

Apr 17, 2018, 11:16 AM

Jared Goff was the first pick of the NFL draft two seasons ago, and had a very good 2017 season with the Los Angeles Rams. After watching two seasons of tape on UCLA quarterback Josh Rosen, I think Rosen is a better prospect than Goff was coming out of Cal.

If I had to choose, I’d probably pick Rosen as my No. 1 quarterback in this year’s class.

Rosen profiles as a pocket passer in the NFL, a Goff- or Matt Ryan-type quarterback. He still has enough mobility to make needed second-reaction plays, but he’s a high-level prospect because of his work from the pocket.

Rosen has very good mechanics that he repeated consistently: good ball position, firm base, excellent balance, compact delivery, good velocity. There was a calmness and poise to his pocket play. For NFL teams that value pocket play, Rosen will be a desirable prospect in this draft. He doesn’t have many weaknesses, as we’ll see as we break down his game.

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UCLA quarterback Josh Rosen is expected to go early in the first round of the NFL draft. (AP)

Rosen has many high-level traits, especially from the pocket

Here’s a play that shows Rosen at his best. It is a play-action pass against UNLV in 2016, and Rosen’s initial read is to the boundary (short side of the field). He then goes back to the middle seam to beat the single-high safety who had rotated to the boundary. You see a firm touch throw with precise accuracy.

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This field-level angle gives a good perspective on how he quickly came off his initial read when the defense took it away, and ended up hitting his secondary read for a score. Quickly eliminating what’s not there is a crucial skill for an NFL quarterback.

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That is an advanced play for a college quarterback. He turned his back to the defense for the play-action fake and was able to snap his head around and instantly read the defense, which is a learned trait and a tough one to master. He quickly diagnosed what the defense had taken away from him. Then he beat the single-high safety with his secondary read, after the safety had rotated. And the throw was very well placed.

Rosen has a lot of refined skills even before he enters the NFL, and part of that is him playing in a UCLA pass offense that featured many NFL concepts. Rosen has a good understanding of the concepts he’ll be taught in the pros, and he also has extensive experience playing under center, which is not the case with many quarterbacks coming out of college.

One trait that will transition very well to the NFL is Rosen’s highly developed sense of timing and rhythm, with a good feel for progressions. On this 32-yard completion last season against Arizona, you see that Rosen stays calm in the pocket, works through his progressions and hits a secondary read with timing and rhythm. This is what NFL teams want from their quarterback in the pocket.

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While Rosen is at his best in the pocket, he also has the capability of throwing on the move. A couple of touchdown passes against Arizona in 2016 illustrate that. On this one, he throws a precise pass after escaping the pocket, which led to a 62-yard touchdown.

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Later in the game, Rosen made a big-time throw on a 29-yard touchdown. Rosen climbed the pocket with his eyes downfield and with bodies all around him, he threw an off-balance pass right as he was hit for a touchdown. This is an impressive play.

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There’s a lot to like about Rosen. He has excellent delivery balance. He has good field vision with excellent awareness of route concepts against specific coverages, which is a product of the pro concepts he was taught at UCLA. Rosen has a refined sense of anticipation and can consistently deliver the ball with accuracy.

It’s easy to see why he can be a very good starting quarterback in the NFL.

There aren’t many clear weaknesses to Rosen’s game

I like to go through a prospect’s strengths and weaknesses, but my list of weaknesses for Rosen is pretty short.

Once in a while Rosen’s ball placement isn’t quite as precise as it needs to be. Those occasional lapses of accuracy need to be cleaned up, because Rosen’s game is built on precision pocket passing. He can’t miss routine throws because of his profile as a pocket passer.

There were times Rosen would leave deep balls short, and overall he’s not a drive thrower so there are some questions about his velocity when it’s demanded. There were also some interceptions in which he was too reckless.

While these are issues he’ll need to improve upon, it’s mostly nit-picking. When you watch Rosen’s tape, you don’t find many huge flaws.

How will Rosen transition to the NFL?

To succeed as a quarterback in the NFL over the long term, you need to be successful from the pocket. Rosen has a lot of tools needed to play from the pocket, such as a decisiveness playing within the structure of the offense, but also enough mobility to make second-reaction plays. While he might not have high-level arm strength, he has a good arm and he consistently succeeded with timing, anticipation and accuracy. That almost always transitions well to the NFL.

You get a sense of Rosen’s refinement as a prospect in many ways. Each quarterback near the top of this year’s draft has strengths, and are all high-level prospects in their own ways. But it wouldn’t surprise me if Rosen ends up being the best of the group. There aren’t many knocks on him coming into the NFL.

NFL analyst and NFL Films senior producer Greg Cosell watches as much NFL game film as anyone. Before the NFL draft, Cosell will join Yahoo Sports to share his observations on some of the top prospects.

https://sports.yahoo.com/greg-cosells-draft-analysis-josh-rosen-refined-perhaps-best-qb-class-151629623.html

[Philc1]

Rosen fits the type of West Coast playbook we run like a glove.  Draft him we win 9-10 games next season possibly get a wildcard 

[JiFtheOracle]

I would like to select Rosen but we wont because the Jets hate me.

[Joe W. Namath]

For the love of God, please draft come already.  I cannot take this over anyalizing crap.  We are taking Mayfield at 3.  Accept it and move on.

[Philc1]

Just now, JiF said:

I would like to select Rosen but we wont because the Jets hate me.

Can Rosen just do an interview with Fox News and say the hat was a goof?

[MDL_JET]

Which is why he'll be gone by 3. 

[k-met57]

2 minutes ago, Joe W. Namath said:

For the love of God, please draft come already.  I cannot take this over anyalizing crap.  We are taking Mayfield at 3.  Accept it and move on.

[Obrien2Toon]

I think it’s pretty clear to anyone who watched all 4, he’s the safest most pro ready of all them

and by a long shot.

i think it’s smoke and mirrors that all the off field stuff is scaring teams off.

[Augustiniak]

2 minutes ago, Obrien2Toon said:

I think it’s pretty clear to anyone who watched all 4, he’s the safest most pro ready of all them

and by a long shot.

i think it’s smoke and mirrors that all the off field stuff is scaring teams off.

even though i prefer other qbs, i completely agree.  i think the hope is that rosen somehow slips by the ny teams and then he's in play.

[Philc1]

2 minutes ago, Obrien2Toon said:

I think it’s pretty clear to anyone who watched all 4, he’s the safest most pro ready of all them

and by a long shot.

i think it’s smoke and mirrors that all the off field stuff is scaring teams off.

Amazing how Mayfield’s frat boy antics nobody questions but Rosen having a dad who is a Dr Holy Red Flag Batman!

[FidelioJet]

Honestly, I want nothing to do with Rosen - 4th on my 3 man board...

But I feel pretty good that he's going to be the guy.  Y'all will get your wish - I just hope I'm wrong about him.

[Charlie Brown]

26 minutes ago, Philc1 said:

Rosen fits the type of West Coast playbook we run like a glove.  Draft him we win 9-10 games next season possibly get a wildcard 

Hey I thought you wanted Mayfield!!!!

 

 

 

 

 

Just kidding.....  

[Mike135]

Just please don't take Allen over Rosen.

Rosen, Mayfield or Darnold.  In that order, but I'll be happy with any of them.

Choosing Allen over one of those three would suck.

[HawkeyeJet]

So I would be completely fine with Rosen at 3.  I prefer Mayfield, but perfectly fine with Rosen.

That said, am I the only one who wonders why he isn't better in college if he is so refined?  I'm not saying he is bad by any stretch in college, but if he's that refined, with his arm talent, his college production is a bit underwhelming to me.

[Long Island Leprechaun]

9 minutes ago, FidelioJet said:

Honestly, I want nothing to do with Rosen - 4th on my 3 man board...

But I feel pretty good that he's going to be the guy.  Y'all will get your wish - I just hope I'm wrong about him.

Why?

[Philc1]

2 minutes ago, HawkeyeJet said:

So I would be completely fine with Rosen at 3.  I prefer Mayfield, but perfectly fine with Rosen.

That said, am I the only one who wonders why he isn't better in college if he is so refined?  I'm not saying he is bad by any stretch in college, but if he's that refined, with his arm talent, his college production is a bit underwhelming to me.

He was no Geno Smith with a 71% comp percentage and 41 tds to 6 ints

[C Mart]

2 minutes ago, HawkeyeJet said:

So I would be completely fine with Rosen at 3.  I prefer Mayfield, but perfectly fine with Rosen.

That said, am I the only one who wonders why he isn't better in college if he is so refined?  I'm not saying he is bad by any stretch in college, but if he's that refined, with his arm talent, his college production is a bit underwhelming to me.

3 different OCs in his 3 yrs at UCLA. From the games I watched this past season that team was poorly coached, undisciplined and the receivers dropped a lot of passes.  

IMO. USC had much better talent and was better coached. 

[Saul Goodman]

But the “Duckenator” says that Rosen is the worstest. Who to believe??

[Beerfish]

51 minutes ago, Joe W. Namath said:

For the love of God, please draft come already.  I cannot take this over anyalizing crap.  We are taking Mayfield at 3.  Accept it and move on.

If we draft mayfield I'll be beaking about how awful the pick was for years, accept it.

[Tinstar]

Provided the Jets didn't strike out with the Bridgewater signing, I think I would prefer to draft Josh Allen, let him fight it out with the other QBs and develop on his own .

It would be hard to pass up on Rosen or Mayfield, but this kid makes throws that not many people can make .    

[Augustiniak]

34 minutes ago, HawkeyeJet said:

So I would be completely fine with Rosen at 3.  I prefer Mayfield, but perfectly fine with Rosen.

That said, am I the only one who wonders why he isn't better in college if he is so refined?  I'm not saying he is bad by any stretch in college, but if he's that refined, with his arm talent, his college production is a bit underwhelming to me.

you watch his highlight tape and what's missing are the 'wow' throws.  watch the other 3 and you'll see them.  watching rosen is like watching a better version of pennington, very efficient, logical, mechanical, no 'wow'.  better arm than chad but that's not saying much.  then you factor in rosen's personality concerns and you're left with a guy who's too controversial off the field and not enough of a spark on it.

[FidelioJet]

48 minutes ago, Long Island Leprechaun said:

Why?

putting the average arm strength aside...

My biggest concern with him is durability - I honestly don't see a guy that hasn't completed the season in each of the past two years in college capable of consistently getting through a 17 week NFL schedule - let alone making a playoff run.

IMO - an injury prone first round QB is worse than drafting a bust - You can move on from the bust - with the injured guy you'll keep hoping this is the year he stays healthy.

[Long Island Leprechaun]

12 minutes ago, Augustiniak said:

you watch his highlight tape and what's missing are the 'wow' throws.  watch the other 3 and you'll see them.  watching rosen is like watching a better version of pennington, very efficient, logical, mechanical, no 'wow'.  better arm than chad but that's not saying much.  then you factor in rosen's personality concerns and you're left with a guy who's too controversial off the field and not enough of a spark on it.

You just described Tom Brady.

[greenwichjetfan]

1 hour ago, Augustiniak said:

you watch his highlight tape and what's missing are the 'wow' throws.  watch the other 3 and you'll see them.  watching rosen is like watching a better version of pennington, very efficient, logical, mechanical, no 'wow'.  better arm than chad

I hate Chad for teasing this franchise and leaving us hanging for so many seasons, but there is absolutely nothing wrong with a strong armed Chad Pennington. In fact, if healthy, you're talking about a top 10 QB.

 

Edit: As @Long Island Leprechaun said, your description above is exactly the description for brady.

[Warfish]

I hope Rosen is more efficient than the use of images in that OP article.  

F'sake, just the video clips would have sufficed.

[FidelioJet]

14 minutes ago, greenwichjetfan said:

 

 

Edit: As @Long Island Leprechaun said, your description above is exactly the description for brady.

Just not true...As painful as it is to admit I see plenty of "wow" momnts with Brady - he so often puts the ball, in such an exact location it's amazing - so many times it looks like the entire feild is covered yet he finds the tiny window - it's def. wow, I can't beleive he hit him  Guys are seemingly fully covered but he hits their fingertips so it's catchable.

Rosen does not make those throw very often.

[C Mart]

22 minutes ago, Warfish said:

I hope Rosen is more efficient than the use of images in that OP article.  

F'sake, just the video clips would have sufficed.

Apologies. I’ll try to meet your standard next time. 

[Integrity28]

Jets want Baker at 3 = trade up to 2 if you want Baker.

Datnold 1. Baker 2. Rosen 3, which is why we traded to 3 and are pushing the Baker love this gratuitously.

[greenwichjetfan]

19 minutes ago, FidelioJet said:

Just not true...As painful as it is to admit I see plenty of "wow" momnts with Brady - he so often puts the ball, in such an exact location it's amazing - so many times it looks like the entire feild is covered yet he finds the tiny window - it's def. wow, I can't beleive he hit him  Guys are seemingly fully covered but he hits their fingertips so it's catchable.

Rosen does not make those throw very often.

I'm not saying Rosen is the second coming of Brady. I'm simply saying that August's description of what Rosen is: "watching rosen is like watching a better version of pennington, very efficient, logical, mechanical, no 'wow'.  better arm than chad" is on par with what a lot of people would consider the description for one of the most successful QBs of all time.

Regardless, it's not the negative that he's inferring it to be.

[JiFtheOracle]

2 hours ago, HawkeyeJet said:

So I would be completely fine with Rosen at 3.  I prefer Mayfield, but perfectly fine with Rosen.

That said, am I the only one who wonders why he isn't better in college if he is so refined?  I'm not saying he is bad by any stretch in college, but if he's that refined, with his arm talent, his college production is a bit underwhelming to me.

Was his production bad though?  I dont think it was.  I mean, when you look at his individual starts, he's balling in the majority of his games.  300/400 yards, multiple TD's. etc.  He had 4 games this season with 400 and 3.  

His senior year stats on par with most 1st round picks.  Darnold threw the same amount of TD's in 3 extra games and threw more picks than Rosen this year.  

[Long Island Leprechaun]

32 minutes ago, FidelioJet said:

Just not true...As painful as it is to admit I see plenty of "wow" momnts with Brady - he so often puts the ball, in such an exact location it's amazing - so many times it looks like the entire feild is covered yet he finds the tiny window - it's def. wow, I can't beleive he hit him  Guys are seemingly fully covered but he hits their fingertips so it's catchable.

Rosen does not make those throw very often.

Yeah. This is silly. Brady made far less in college. Brady plays in a timing system. Rosen actually has a better arm than Brady.

[C Mart]

37 minutes ago, FidelioJet said:

Just not true...As painful as it is to admit I see plenty of "wow" momnts with Brady - he so often puts the ball, in such an exact location it's amazing - so many times it looks like the entire feild is covered yet he finds the tiny window - it's def. wow, I can't beleive he hit him  Guys are seemingly fully covered but he hits their fingertips so it's catchable.

Rosen does not make those throw very often.

So we’re comparing a 20 yr old college guy to a 40 yr old, 18 yr pro? 

BTW....are we looking for a QB that produces Wow plays or someone that can be our QB for the next 10+ yrs. 

[FidelioJet]

Just now, C Mart said:

So we’re comparing a 20 yr old college guy to a 40 yr old, 18 yr pro? 

BTW....are we looking for a QB that produces Wow plays or someone that can be our QB for the next 10+ yrs. 

I didn't start the comparison just reacting to someone that said Rosen's lack of "Wow" moments were just like Brady.

I'm just pointing out that Brady actually has plenty of "Wow" moments.

[JiFtheOracle]

In response to the topic; I dont know how you could argue the point of "being the most refined".  There really is not much of an argument.  When you compare all the prospects, Rosen is by far the most polished.  His fundamentals are damn near flawless.  Whereas, all the other dudes have some type of quirk in their get up whether it's throwing motion or footwork, etc.

That's not to say that is the ultimate predictor of success but just something I dont think you can really argue about the prospects. 

[RoadFan]

There is that Matrix-like "splinter in my mind"...

Too much public love for Baker.  It might as well be on a billboard.   Could their intention really be this transparent?  Macc wants somebody else, right?

I'm not buying the nobody wants Rosen narrative.  You watch that kid throw... some teams are all in.