Josh Rosen, not Lamar Jackson, had the most impressive answer about potentially switching positions

INDIANAPOLIS — For years, being a pure pocket passer was almost a prerequisite for highly-regarded quarterbacks. The narrative surrounding mobile guys was that it just wouldn’t translate to the NFL or that they’d never stay healthy.

Fast forward to 2018 and just about every top quarterback has an element of mobility to their game and the one who doesn’t, Josh Rosen, is actually seeing that very fact used against him.

On Friday at the combine, though, Rosen got a chance to show that he can go off script, and he shined.

Of course, everyone that comes into Indianapolis is prepared to answer a plethora of questions, but it’s fair to say that Rosen had not prepared for this one.

In what was a play off of the ongoing Lamar Jackson discussion, the QB—who does not have the athletic ability nor the physical stature to play any other position on the field—was asked how he would respond if a team asked him to switch positions.

“Maybe. Quarterback is pretty fun. I like it a lot,” he said, flushed out by the rush.

“I like being in control of things, so it’d be tough for me to give that up,” he added, escaping the pocket and keeping his eyes downfield before setting his feet and letting it fly. “I really like being able to control everything that’s going on on the field. I think it would drive me crazy if it was like a game-winning drive or game-winning play and I didn’t touch the ball in some sort. That would drive me a little crazy. I’d be open to it, but quarterback is where I belong.”

Touchdown. Another beauty of downfield throw by the most talented passer in the draft.

Simple as it may seem, this answer was so brilliant because it was so real. That wasn’t a canned response, formulated on the idea of what people want to hear; it was Josh Rosen being honest and uncovering that he possesses the attribute that all the greats have—the desire to have the ball in his hands when the game is on the line.

That’s the kind of stuff that GMs are trying to uncover here.