NEW YORK -- Tony Romo, the former Cowboys star quarterback, isn't taking a wait-and-see approach with Jets rookie Sam Darnold. Romo is convinced that Darnold will be a highly successful NFL starting quarterback, regardless of what happens with him in 2018.

The Jets almost certainly will start Darnold from the get-go in 2018. And while Romo believes Darnold will go through hiccups as a rookie, he doesn't think that'll be an accurate indicator for whether Darnold can thrive long-term at this level.

"When I watch him, I see a lot of God-given, instinctual ability that I think is rare," Romo, now a TV analyst, said Tuesday at NFL on CBS media day. "I think whether he comes out on fire or comes out average, I don't really think it matters, to me, about his future. I think he's going to be outstanding."

Romo studied college tape of Darnold and considered him the best quarterback in this year's draft class. While watching Darnold's preseason games, Romo continued to see all the things he liked about Darnold initially.

"I think he's going to be really good," Romo said. "I think it's just a matter of him going through it. He'll have good weeks and he'll have bad weeks. But I think you're seeing the flashes already, and you'll see those in the regular season as well.

"You don't know about quarterbacks until sometimes they go through their rough patches, and you find out how they adjust. I do think that Sam, he has rare qualities that I like to see on the football field. I don't know how he is in the classroom. But as far as resetting the pocket, the feel, the subtle nuance to the game that sometimes goes unnoticed to the average fan, I just feel like he has those things. Which tells you that his ceiling is very high."

Romo said "no one is immune" to rookie quarterback struggles, and noted that Peyton Manning went 3-13 as a rookie, and then 13-3 the next year.

"The best players just figure it out faster than other people," Romo said. "I think Sam has an opportunity to do that, regardless of how he starts. To me, barring something rare happening, I feel like he's going to be a very good quarterback in the NFL."

In particular, Romo loves how Darnold makes plays when things break down in the pocket.

"I don't think it can be developed," Romo said. "I think it's innate. I don't worry about interceptions from quarterbacks in college as much as other people do, because you can coach individuals on how to protect the football. It's a lot harder to coach them on how to let go of the football under duress and see the field. I think Sam has those things that are harder to coach."

Romo thinks the Jets should start Darnold in Week 1 and not look back -- which is what they'll surely do -- even though Teddy Bridgewater might give them a better opportunity to win immediately.

"From an organizational perspective, there is an allowance for a [young] player to grow into who he is supposed to become," Romo said. "The way to get better at football is to play football. Long-term development doesn't get hurt if you're a great player [who struggles early on]. If you're not a great player, yes, it can hurt the development and it can hurt someone's psyche. But if you're a great player, you carry other people and you'll make it work."

Darryl Slater may be reached at dslater@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @DarrylSlater. Find NJ.com Jets on Facebook.