Cleveland Browns scout Josh Rosen, aided by UCLA women’s volleyball

Cleveland Browns VP of player personnel Alonzo Highsmith shared an intriguing story from the scouting trail regarding UCLA’s Josh Rosen.

Cleveland Browns personnel man Alonzo Highsmith recently spoke to the Hall of Fame Luncheon Club, and talked about what got him to put Baker Mayfield ahead of Sam Darnold in his pre-draft rankings.

Highsmith also revealed a nugget from his scouting adventures that involves Josh Rosen.

In his travels, Highsmith visited a lot of airports. While waiting to take flight to his next destination, he came across the UCLA women’s volleyball team, and their topic of discussion centered around their football team’s quarterback.

High smiths aid, via The Canton Repository’s Steve Doerschuck:

"“You heard so much about Rosen. He’s this or that. We all know how people talk,” Highsmith said.“So I asked one of the volleyball coaches, ‘What’s Rosen like?’ He said, ‘Aaaaa, you should probably ask his girlfriend. She’s one of the players. She’s over there.’"

Highsmith, who had apparently heard enough, didn’t pursue the coach’s advice.

"“I’m like, ‘All right coach. That’s good enough.’“I don’t know what all this means, but there was something about him that bothered me.”"

Entering the draft, Rosen looked like the most polished passing prospect, but was often criticized for being “too smart,” which is ridiculous.

Bernie Kosar graduated from The U in three years with a degree with Economics. Ask him if being “too smart” was a problem.

Other questions surrounding Rosen involved his passion of the game. Is this someone who really loves football? Arizona hopes he does, as the Cardinals took Rosen 10th overall and traded up to get him.

Highsmith told the club that Rosen was actually his third ranked quarterback entering the draft process, behind Sam Darnold and Baker Mayfield.

Mayfield trumped Darnold at the end in Highsmith’s eyes, because of something called “efficacy,” a word defined as “the ability to produce a desired result.”

"“And he had a trait that some of the good ones have. I call it efficacy. That includes the power to effect other people. I thought that of all the quarterbacks I watched, he stood out far and above the other guys. When he walked into a room, you knew he was there,” Highsmith said."

As for Rosen, the happenstance informative gathering with the UCLA women’s volleyball team shows what personnel scouts will go through to find things out about a player before draft day.

Players get interviewed, and that carries a lot of weight, but don’t forget about the scouts going into bars in college towns asking if they’ve got any stories involving their college’s quarterback.

Next: 5 rookies who should start for the Browns

The Browns will get their first look at Mayfield in an orange helmet during rookie mini camp, which commences May 4. The practice session last three days and is closed to the public.