UCLA Football: Trent Dilfer gives his support of Josh Rosen

Former UCLA football quarterback Josh Rosen was given high praise by former NFL QB Trent Dilfer, (who he once had a public spat with) on the Rich Eisen Show and compared him to such NFL greats as Tom Brady and Peyton Manning.

Before Josh Rosen was a part of the UCLA football team and making headlines for his takes on everything from presidential candidates to NCAA amateurism, he was made headlines for his clash with an QB analyst.

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Back in 2014, Rosen and former NFL quarterback Trent Dilfer, who runs the Elite 11 competition, had delivered harsh critiques of Rosen, particularly stating that Rosen needed to “buy in” to coaching. On Rosen’s end, he was not quiet in his dislike for Dilfer and even pointed out several mistakes in Dilfer’s playbook that he wanted Rosen to memorize.

Despite all of that, today on the Rich Eisen Show, Dilfer called in to give his support of Rosen and had nothing but good things to say about the former Bruin.

“I was hard on him because I saw greatness in him and I wanted to bring it out. At the time, when he was 17, he was a little uncoachable and he was entitled.” Dilfer then acknowledges that things are different now. “He has done a 180. He’s a different type of kid than people remember him being. I do think he’s tough, I do think he wants to be great.”

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Dilfer seemed extremely impressed by how he has handled himself since then and sees a player that just wants to be great. “He’s intellectual. He’s got conviction. He’s not going to be wishy-washy on stuff and he’s going to demand that his coaches give him the best stuff because he wants to be the best.” Following that statement, Dilfer compared Rosen to that of Tom Brady, Peyton Manning and Drew Brees.

Dilfer also came to Rosen’s defense in the wake of several scouts and experts that have given negative critiques about the former Bruin. “You’re going hear all these unnamed scouts and unnamed sources, who first of all, don’t know you-know-what about anything about quarterbacks, but pretend that they do. They are going to come out say negative things about him because he is going to rub them the wrong way.”

Rosen is not liked by everybody but as Dilfer referenced, those that truly know him, know that he is a special talent. Rosen has amazing pocket presence, a strong arm, uncanny accuracy, a high football IQ… the list goes on.

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The point is, Rosen is a special talent and if an analyst that at one time did not see things the way Rosen did, can still come out and give his support of the young QB, then you know he has what it takes to make it in the NFL.