Former UCLA coach Mora clarifies seemingly critical comments on Rosen

Last week, former UCLA coach Jim Mora made headlines when he said the Cleveland Browns should select former Southern Cal quarterback Sam Darnold No. 1, not Mora's own former pupil.

On Sunday, Mora sought to clarify his comments.

And when it comes to Josh Rosen and that first pick, Mora told SI's Peter King it's all about fit, not talent.

In a story published Monday by King on Monday Morning Quarterback, Mora said that Darnold's "don't-worry, be-happy ethos" and his "underdog mentality that I think will fit so well in Cleveland, a franchise that's really been down" is why the former Trojan would be the better fit in Cleveland.

When it comes to Rosen, the former Bruins quarterback, Mora admitted he knew his words last week would cause a storm. Then he sang Rosen's praises:

"Josh, I think, without a doubt, is the No. 1 quarterback in the draft. He's a franchise-changer. He's got the ability to have an immediate impact," Mora said.

"He needs to be challenged intellectually so he doesn't get bored," Mora later added. "He's a millennial. He wants to know why. Millennials, once they know why, they're good. Josh has a lot of interests in life. If you can hold his concentration level and focus only on football for a few years, he will set the world on fire."

Interestingly enough, the teams with the next two picks have the coaches, quarterbacks and location that Mora thinks would allow Rosen to thrive. The Giants, with new coach Pat Shurmur and veteran Eli Manning on the roster, hold the No. 2 pick. The Jets, with offensive coordinator Jeremy Bates and journeyman Josh McCown slated to start behind center, sit at pick No. 3.

And New York is a wee bit different than Cleveland.

Mora also told King that he texted Rosen before making his initial comments about Darnold on NFL Network, but King said sources told him Rosen was still "stunned" by his old coach's comments.

Another interesting note from King's chat with Mora: Despite the heavy interest in Rosen and his likely high draft position, Mora says he has yet to get a call from an NFL general manager asking about Rosen.

The 2018 NFL Draft will take place April 26-28 from AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

--Field Level Media