UCLA quarterback Josh Rosen took the country by storm during his freshman year with the Bruins. He led the team to an 8-5 record and to the 2015 Foster Farms Bowl.
Because of his early success, head coach Jim Mora has full confidence in him.
Mora recently joined The Rich Eisen Show to discuss his quarterback. The former NFL coach said that Rosen would have been the first player taken with the first pick in the 2016 NFL Draft.
“In my opinion he (would have been) the best quarterback in the draft and he would’ve gone first,” Mora said.
Of course, Rosen is only entering his true sophomore season, meaning he isn’t eligible for the NFL until at least the 2018 draft. However, this does not mean that Mora recognizes the talent his quaterback possesses.
“I’m going to say (he would’ve been picked first) publicly because I believe it, but with this disclaimer: Unless he continues to work hard, unless he makes good decisions, unless he dedicates himself the way guys like Tom Brady and Drew Brees and Peyton Manning have, then it’s a pipe dream,” Mora said. “And I’ve asked him this. I said ‘Who do you want to be? Do you want to be Johnny Manziel or do you want to be Tom Brady? And you need to make that decision right now and you need to start working in the direction that you want to work in.'”
During his freshman season with the Bruins, Josh Rosen threw for 3,670 yards and 23 touchdowns with 11 interceptions. He was also named to the Freshman All-American Team for his efforts.
If anybody knows what it takes to be a successful quarterback in the NFL, it’s Mora. He spent four years in the league as a head coach before going to UCLA in 2012.
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*Featured Photo (above) credit to USA TODAY Sports
