2018 NFL Draft: Key strengths and weaknesses for Josh Rosen

Josh Rosen is one of the most coveted prospects in the 2018 NFL Draft. What are the UCLA Bruins star’s key strengths and weaknesses entering the Combine?

With roughly two months remaining until the 2018 NFL Draft, Josh Rosen is earning praise as one of the top prospects in his class. Some believe him to be the best quarterback on the board, which could prove to be the case.

In the spirit of objectively evaluating the players who could soon become the faces of the NFL, however, we must acknowledge that no prospect is perfect.

If we’re limiting our scope to the field, then Rosen is widely regarded as one of the safest prospects in this draft class. He’s impressed both on film and in the box score, and has been credited with elevating an underwhelming UCLA Bruins team.

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Thus, it comes as no surprise that NFL general managers are giving serious consideration to investing in Rosen as a franchise player.

There are weaknesses to acknowledge, however, which makes this exercise all but necessary. There are concerns about Rosen’s injury history and commitment to football, but for now, we’re going to focus solely on what transpires on the field.

The question is: What are the key strengths and weaknesses that 2018 NFL prospect Josh Rosen presents to prospective teams and general managers?

More importantly: Is he worth the risk?

Strength: Intermediate Accuracy

The sexiest play a quarterback can make is a deep throw that leads his receiver. Thus, many fans—and even some general managers—have fallen in love with the quarterbacks who can air it out and utilize the deep ball to their advantage.

What Josh Rosen has going for him, however, is the ability to throw accurate passes on the intermediate level—a skill that successful general managers salivate over.

Rosen completed 62.6 percent of his passes in 2017, but that’s a somewhat misleading statistic. That percentage was negatively impacted by the fact that his teammates dropped 31 passes this season—an egregiously high number.

For those who are concerned that the drops may be a product of Rosen throwing poor passes, the numbers display that his accuracy actually sets him apart.

Any quarterback who can consistently fit throws between the linebackers and the safeties will intrigue scouts and general managers. Rosen’s ability to do so is exactly why he’s emerging as one of the more coveted quarterbacks in recent NFL Draft history.

Coupled with the poise that Rosen has displayed under pressure, he has the look and feel of a high-level NFL quarterback—especially in this intermediate-driven era.

Weakness: Throwing On The Run

When Josh Rosen is in the pocket, he looks the part of a superstar quarterback. When Rosen is forced to evade the pass rush and make plays outside the hash marks, however, he becomes considerably less effective.

Rosen wouldn’t be the first player who’s better with a comfortable pocket around him, but this could prove problematic given the circumstances.

According to Lance Zierlein of NFL.com, Rosen completed just 42.4 percent of his passes when he was forced to move outside the pocket. Combined with his tendency to throw interceptions, it’s fair to be skeptical of how he’ll perform behind what could be a shaky offensive line.

It’s possible that Rosen will play behind a strong offensive line as a rookie, but the odds are in favor of the opposite proving true.

As previously alluded to, Rosen is admittedly a strong enough pocket passer to stand tall and make throws in the face of pressure. The ability to throw on the run is becoming something of a prerequisite in the modern era, however, and Rosen is shaky, at best.

Even if he can handle a pass rush, teams will look to force Rosen out of the pocket on a rather consistent basis if he doesn’t improve upon this weakness.

Strength: Fearless Playmaker

There’s a thin line between taking care of the ball and knowing when to take chances. It’s one that a vast majority of quarterbacks struggle to toe, as the temptation of the big play and the fear of a potential turnover become overwhelming factors.

One of the primary reasons Josh Rosen has captured the imagination of NFL general managers is the fact that he isn’t afraid to cross that line.

As previously acknowledged, Rosen is the most accurate intermediate passer in this draft class. He also has a big arm and deep ball accuracy that has enabled him to earn the label of the most well-rounded pocket passer on the board.

Not only is Rosen able to go over the top of the safeties, but he shows no fear in leading his wide receivers to their spots on deep throws.

It’s one thing for a quarterback to have a big arm; it’s admittedly a necessary part of the equation. It’s another thing entirely to have the vision and accuracy to complete throws into tight coverage, however, and that’s exactly what Rosen possesses.

Rosen can make all of the throws. Most importantly, he can read and anticipate coverages, and pass his receivers open.

Weakness: Forcing The Issue

One of Josh Rosen’s defining strengths is also one of his most critical weaknesses. The former UCLA Bruins star has the arm strength and accuracy to fit throws into tight windows, but he also has a tendency to force the issue.

Aggressive quarterback play is necessary in certain situations, but it will inevitably prove problematic if it’s the primary method of execution.

The perfect postseason quarterback is one who can blend the ability to throw into coverage with the responsibility to refrain from doing so. Come the playoffs, it’s better to have to punt than it is to risk giving your opponent good field position.

That goes out the window during the fourth quarter, but a quarterback who fails to take care of the football for the first three tends to lose the game for his team.

Rosen has the ability to take over in the fourth, but he also has the tendency to put his team in a bad spot. He forces throws when he doesn’t need to, and often looks for the big play when he should be trusting his playmakers to make plays after the catch.

This is a correctable flaw, of course, but Rosen’s tendency to value the flash over the more efficient formula is somewhat concerning.

Strength: Mechanics

If you ask a scout or analyst about Josh Rosen, one word will consistently surface: Mechanics. Rosen may be the most fundamentally polished quarterback in this draft class, with the type of footwork and throwing motion that coaches can almost leave as they are.

There’s more to the game than just being mechanically flawless, but it’s hard to watch Rosen play and not be impressed by what he brings to the table.

In a draft class that’s flush with questions about quarterbacks’ throwing motions and overall mechanics, Rosen has an undeniable edge. Sam Darnold has an awkward throwing motion, Josh Allen and Lamar Jackson struggle with their accuracy, and Baker Mayfield is somewhat undersized.

Rosen, meanwhile, is a 6’4″ quarterback who stands tall in the pocket, effortlessly gets the ball out, and hits perfect strides when going through his progressions.

Rosen’s mechanics have enabled him to become one of the most accurate passers on the board. He does an excellent job of leading his receivers, including a back shoulder throw that few in this draft class have proven quite as proficient at dropping in.

Perhaps most importantly, Rosen’s impeccable fundamentals make his shoulder fakes even more deceptive—a critical strength for a position that’s forced to look off defenders.

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Whichever team selects Josh Rosen at the 2018 NFL Draft will be acquiring a mechanically marvelous quarterback.