Huskies Draft Journey: Jay Rose
In our fourth installment of Huskies Draft Journey, we highlight the career of multi-faceted tight end Jay Rose. A fifth-year senior, Rose was considered a three-star recruit coming out of high school and had offers from Wake Forest, Wisconsin and Syracuse, who offered him a scholarship as a quarterback.
Southington's quarterback Jay Rose committed to #UConn, will play a unique position https://t.co/Nb0fRHNScQ pic.twitter.com/0DwJdU7UEy
— The UConn Blog (@TheUConnBlog) February 3, 2016
An All-State quarterback and two-time state champion at Southington High School as a senior and junior, Rose earned Courant Offensive Player of the Year. Upon his arrival to Storrs, he converted to tight end, a position he played as a freshman and sophomore in high school. Rose quickly won over his teammates due to a tremendous work ethic and leadership qualities, which earned him team captain honors on three occasions as a senior in 2021.
🔴 TE Spotlight ⚪
— NCAAF Nation (@NCAAFNation247) July 31, 2020
Jay Rose - Connecticut
• Rose hasn't got the credit he deserves because of the lack of success for UConn the past few seasons. Rose excels blocking for RB Kevin Mensah and contributes receiving with 28 receptions for 278 yards 2 TDs in his career. pic.twitter.com/A5dTQjP9Ku
After five seasons at the University of Connecticut, Rose now looks to pursue a professional football career at the next level. At 6-foot-4 and 253 pounds, he possesses a big catch radius, is very tough to bring down after the catch and is s stout blocker who can move bodies. In addition, Rose has also starred on special teams for the Huskies. However, his journey has not always been a path full of roses.
From @AmoreCourant: Jay Rose, a star quarterback at Southington High, has continued to grind through tough times as a tight end at @UConnFootball. Now a senior, he is a big factor in the Huskies' recent encouraging performances. https://t.co/bjY9FPeXSn
— UConn Insider (@UConn_Insider) October 6, 2021
Former UConn head coach Randy Edsall praised Rose earlier this season, as he discussed some of the attributes that would make him appealing to pro teams.
“He brings many different attributes to the team. First and foremost, he’s a good leader for us. He brings an athleticism with a body type that’s hard to find. He can block and we can take advantage of his size because he has good speed. He has very speed. He brings versatility to our offense and can do a lot of different things.” – Former UConn Football Head Coach Randy Edsall
We will continue to monitor the UConn Class of 2022 NFL Draft prospects leading up to April. Be sure to keep it locked at UConn Illustrated, your new home for dedicated coverage of Huskies athletics! #BL22DBLUE
