After already deciding to not participate in his team’s upcoming Cactus Bowl game vs. Kansas State due to a concussion, is UCLA Bruins quarterback Josh Rosen ready to skip the 2018 NFL Draft to avoid playing in Cleveland?
As first reported by multiple media outlets, Rosen is considering skipping the 2018 NFL Draft, if the winless Browns were to land the No.1 pick. Thanks to their 20-3 loss to the Chicago Bears on Sunday, Cleveland became the first team in the modern draft era to secure the top overall pick in the NFL Draft in consecutive seasons since doing it in 1999 and 2000, when they would select QB Tim Couch out of Kentucky and DE/LB Courtney Brown out of Penn State.
With the top pick—and the fourth overall pick, via the Houston Texans in the Deshaun Watson trade—the Browns have two chances to land their franchise savior. But does anyone want to come to Cleveland?
With Sam Darnold stating earlier that he would return to USC if taken by Cleveland. Rosen stating pretty much the exact same tone as his fellow crosstown rival, speaks volumes, as reportedly he prefers playing for the New York Giants.
Who would have ever thought that USC and UCLA could ever mutually agree on something, eh?
For Rosen to say such a thing, months before the NFL Draft is a sad example of the modern-day Millennial athlete, and their sense of arrogance and entitlement.
Yes. The Browns are a living, breathing sad example of a glorified semi-pro team full of dysfunction, lack of direction, unstable ownership and no clue on how to win on the field, but they are STILL an NFL team. Or so we think on most Sundays.
While Rosen may very well be the top QB prospect to come out of this draft, he is no Andrew Luck, he is not even in the same class of John Elway or Eli Manning.
When Manning helped orchestrate the infamous 2004 draft-day trade between the then-San Diego Chargers and New York Giants, he had the benefit of a famous football surname, influential parents and the leverage to chose to not play for an awful team such as the Chargers.
Rosen does not.
He is not well-liked by his coaches, teammates and by opponents. If he is really willing to bet that skipping the 2018 NFL Draft—while his stock is at it’s highest, pre-combine—to go back to college another year, and additional injury, while not getting paid is beyond irresponsible, immature and selfish.
If he decides to go back to Westwood, then the top overall pick will likely slide to either the forementioned Darnold, Heisman Trophy winners in Lamar Jackson, Baker Mayfield or dare I even say it again…Saquon Barkley.
Rosen needs to grow the hell up and rethink his self-absorbed statement, hire an agent and discuss the dollars and cents behind being taken No.1 overall, and taking the next step in being a professional quarterback.
Even if that means playing in Cleveland.