Josh Rosen won’t skip UCLA’s possible bowl game

Josh Rosen could be a top pick in the 2018 NFL Draft, but he won’t skip a potential bowl game to protect that status.

Notre Dame linebacker Jaylon Smith went from a likely top-five pick to a second-round pick, all due to a severe knee injury in the 2016 Fiesta Bowl. So the idea of top draft prospects skipping bowl games that don’t carry national title implications came to the surface, with Leonard Fournette and Christian McCaffrey doing so last year.

The decision to skip a bowl did not affect where Fournette and McCaffrey were drafted, as they were the fourth and eighth overall picks respectively last spring. Some top prospects will be faced with the same tough decision this year, with a case to be made for both sides.

UCLA quarterback Josh Rosen is having a decent season (2,713 yards, 63.1 percent completion rate, 20 touchdowns and eight interceptions), but the Bruins are just 4-5 heading into Saturday’s game against Arizona State. He missed last week’s game against Utah with a concussion, but he said he expects to play against the Sun Devils.

Rosen missed the final six games of last season due to a nerve issue in his throwing shoulder. So he could not be blamed for tapping out if his team reaches a bowl game, in order to protect his health with an eye on the draft if he declares. But the potential top-five overall pick and possible first quarterback taken next spring has no plans to do so.

“I mean, bowl games are just fun,” Rosen said by way of the Los Angeles Times. “I like going out there with the guys and you’re in another city for a week and you have a good time.”

Of course playing or not playing in a bowl game is a hypothetical scenario at this point, with UCLA having to win at least two of their last three games to lock in eligibility. After this week against Arizona State, USC (Nov. 18) and Cal (Nov. 24) are on the schedule. All three teams are .500 or better right now, but two of those games will be at home for UCLA.

Next: 2018 NFL Draft: Ranking best QB prospects entering Week 11

Rosen could also choose to come back for his senior season. That would of course render a decision about playing in a bowl game moot, at least in terms of risking injury before entering the draft.