UCLA QB Josh Rosen: 'Everyone hates me'

UCLA quarterback Josh Rosen isn't one to hold his tongue.

Two weeks after proclaiming himself as "the best QB in the (upcoming) draft," Rosen told NFL.com that there's a price for his unabashed honesty.

"Everyone hates me," the confident 21-year-old Rosen told Michael Silver of NFL.com.

"I don't know, everyone kind of likes to be liked. I don't really care as much about the media stuff, but what hurts me on the inside is when people will meet me, and I'll talk to them, and they'll be like, 'God. You aren't a (jerk).' Or, 'From what I understood, you're kind of an (expletive), but ...' I'm like, 'I don't know what to say to that.'

"I try to be as good of a person as I can be. I try to be a generally kind person. I mean, if I was running for the presidency, I'd probably run a campaign on, 'Be kind.' It just kind of (stinks) -- my friends having to defend me to their friends. I mean, you can go around the UCLA campus and ask someone, 'What do you think of Josh Rosen?' and you can put your money on the fact that you're gonna get a bad response. That kind of stinks. I mean, it (stinks)."

Rosen would be wise to develop a thicker skin ahead of the 2018 NFL Draft, which begins Thursday at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

After all, he may not go first.

NFLDraftScout.com senior analyst Rob Rang lists USC quarterback Sam Darnold first in his most recent Big Board. Rosen, Penn State running back Saquon Barkley, Notre Dame guard Quenton Nelson and North Carolina State defensive end Bradley Chubb round out the top five.

Wyoming quarterback Josh Allen is ranked 10th by Rang while former Heisman Trophy winner Baker Mayfield of Oklahoma is 14th and Jackson 15th.

Rosen passed for 9,301 yards and 59 touchdowns with 26 interceptions while playing in 30 games in three seasons as UCLA's starting quarterback.

This past season, Rosen passed for 3,754 yards and 26 touchdowns with 10 interceptions as UCLA finished with a disappointing 6-7 record. He did not play in the Bruins' 35-17 Cactus Bowl loss to Kansas State while recovering from a concussion.