Former UCLA football quarterback Josh Rosen is once again getting negative press about his injuries which show a lack of research in scouting by several analysts for the NFL Combine.
With the NFL combine starting, many analysts and scouts are giving their takes on several different college football players, both positive and negative. It goes with the territory. Although, when it comes to UCLA football’s Josh Rosen, it seems the negative critiques are emphasized more than the positive ones, especially his injuries.
”His injuries are a concern.” “Can he stay healthy?” “I don’t like how long he has been out due to injuries.” “Rosen holds on to the ball too long, leaving him open to hits.”
With all of this “analysis”, one would think the former Bruin that threw for 3,756 yards last season was hobbling into the NFL Combine (currently taking place at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis) with several fractures, tendon/ligament issues and bruises up and down his susceptible little body.
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By the way, when it comes to people pointing out his “small frame”, Rosen weighed in at 226 lbs., second highest among all combine QBs.
Anyway, let us get back to his injuries. Maybe it’s just me, but it seems as if injuries are only a concern if they are chronic and on-going. Injuries such as tears in soft tissue, lacerations and concussions, which is what Rosen sustained the last two seasons, are caused and not an inherant issue.
Did people think New England Patriots quarterbacks Tom Brady was plagued with injury problems when he had 12 stitches put in his hand during the last NFL Playoffs after he “ran into” a teammate? No because it was caused and was not foreseen as an on-going issue. Yet somehow Rosen’s injuries are caused for alarm.
Here is the play were Rosen got hurt in 2016 against Arizona State. As you can see, three defenders were in pursuit of the Bruin QB and laid a big hit on him, resulting in him to land awkwardly, causing his injury. Yes, the injury was serious, but why is it such an issue for scouts to put so much weight on injuries like these that are part of the game and not part of the player?