UCLA Football: Josh Rosen's (Almost) In, But Are the Browns Out?

Former UCLA football quarterback Josh Rosen has declared for the NFL Draft, the only question now is where will he end up? With Rosen being vocal about not going to a certain team, many critics have attacked his character, but is he wrong?

To no surprise, UCLA football’s Josh Rosen declared for the NFL draft last Wednesday. With that “unknown” out of the way, there’s really only one question that remains: Who is going to draft him?

Also to no surprise, the Cleveland Browns have the No. 1 overall pick after finishing the 2017 campaign with an 0-16 record (a feat only achieved once before in the NFL nine years ago the Detroit Lions).

So, it makes sense that the dismal Browns would draft Rosen and add him to their infamously long list of rookie quarterbacks, right?

Not so fast.

On Christmas Eve, a report from ESPN’s Adam Schefter indicated that the Bruins’ signal-caller had shown some hesitancy about playing for the Browns (should the team receive the top pick and decide to draft him). Per Schefter’s report, “Rosen expressed concern about winding up in Cleveland and would rather be with a more stable franchise, such as the Giants.”

As expected, this sparked a certain amount of controversy about Rosen’s character, a topic that has already raised eyebrows over the last three years. Rosen has a well-documented paper trail of controversial opinions ranging from politics to the way NCAA student-athletes are treated and his own off-field ambitions to literally “own the world.”

Should we really be surprised that Rosen expressed his concern about playing for a historically awful professional football team? No.

Picture this: You have just graduated college at the top of your class, and you have plenty of prospects looking to hire you. Among the potential suitors, one company looking to hire you has an extensive track record of ruining the careers of new hires. Wouldn’t you be wary of a company that hasn’t put their employees on a trajectory of success? Of course, you would.

You see, everyone is entitled to their own opinions and choices, especially regarding something that could potentially affect their professional careers.

Yes, Rosen will be paid millions to compete in a league that only a small percentage of athletes will end up having the opportunity to compete in. And yes, he should be thankful for this chance (who wouldn’t be?). But, Rosen is a competitor and wants to be part of a professional organization that can provide an opportunity to succeed.

In reality, the best place for Rosen would be with the New York Giants, a team poised for reboot in the coming seasons. The club already has as star-studded roster and is in the midst of the search for a new head coach. Adding Rosen to the mix could turn a new page for the franchise.

When considering Rosen, the future professional quarterback is entitled to his opinion on where he would want to play.

Ironically, should Rosen end up with the Giants, he would follow a line of quarterbacks who expressed concern about potentially competing for a subpar professional team.

Back in 2004, Eli Manning was drafted first overall by the San Diego Chargers. As we all know, Manning refused to play for the Chargers, was traded to the Giants for Philip Rivers, and the rest is history.

Yes, this decision was a controversial one and it is still talked about to this day. However, take a look at the careers of Eli Manning compared to Philip Rivers. Manning has two Super Bowl rings and was also named a two-time Super Bowl MVP. Rivers, to his credit has faithfully stuck with the continuously disappointing Chargers, and has only made a total of nine post-season appearances in his thirteen years as the Bolts’ quarterback. While Manning’s opinion caused some short-term controversy, it actually set him up for long-term success.

Next: The Top 30 UCLA Football Players of All-Time

When considering Rosen, the future professional quarterback is entitled to his opinion on where he would want to play. Ultimately, he could very well hold out for the team he would want to compete for. Who knows? It worked once for a Giants quarterback, maybe it will again.

UCLA Football: Josh Rosen’s (Almost) In, But Are the Browns Out?

By Mike Crawford | Jan 8, 2018

Former UCLA football quarterback Josh Rosen has declared for the NFL Draft, the only question now is where will he end up? With Rosen being vocal about not going to a certain team, many critics have attacked his character, but is he wrong?