Russell Wilson Is The Real Deal My Friends

[Tom Kessenich]

Those who follow me on Twitter know I've been pimping Russell Wilson for several months now. It's no surprise to me then that the Seahawks are now raving about him and plan to give him an opportunity to beat out Matt Flynn (Tarvaris Jackson? Yeah, right) for the starting job this season in Seattle. The Seahawks were blown away by how quickly Wilson picked up the playbook but those who follow the Badgers weren't surprised. Wilson did the exact same thing last year when he came to Wisconsin and quickly picked up all the nuances of the playbook and ran the offense effectively and smoothly all season long.

Do I expect him to win the job in Seattle when the season begins?

No I do not.

Do I expect him to be a good NFL starting quarterback at some point?

You bet I do.

Far too many scouts, NFL personnel people and critics focused intently on Wilson's height. I said for months that would be a huge mistake because it ignored the fact he does everything you want a pro quarterback to do. Let me repeat that. He does everything you want a pro quarterback to do. He has a good arm, can throw short, intermediate or downfield, he's very accurate, he knows how to go through his progressions, he throws well on the move and he's very mobile. Unlike many running QBs, though, Wilson doesn't take off at the first sign of trouble. Instead, he stands strong in the pocket and only looks to escape if he can't find an open receiver. When he does get out of the pocket his athleticism allows him to pick up big yardage.

As far as his lack of prototypical QB height, that is a drawback but it's hardly one he cannot overcome. Consider the fact he played behind one of the largest offensive lines in the galaxy last season at Wisconsin and had no difficulty throwing the ball effectively. He also is very good at moving within the pocket to move away from pressure and create easier passing lanes. This was something I Tweeted about him numerous times because it's very Drew Brees-esque and it's also something Seattle's John Schneider recently noted as well.

Wilson is never going to be 6-2 or 6-3. But while he lacks prototypical QB height, he possesses every other top-level skill you want an NFL QB to have. He was the third-best QB in this draft in my opinion and will prove to be a third-round steal in due time. Again, I expect Matt Flynn to be Seattle's Week 1 starter, but Wilson will get a chance at some point and when he does he's going to make a lot of NFL people look bad for ignoring all of the things he does well while focusing so intently on the one thing he does not possess.

[Ry's Guys]

Tom, nice write up and I agree with you 100%. I watched several games last year and it seemed he was a man amongst boys. He has that "it" quality. He has been this height his entire collegiate career and has made the adjustments necessary ala Drew Brees.

[Tom Kessenich]

Yeah I didn't even touch on the intangibles he possesses or his strong leadership skills, Pat. He's a very poised and confident player without being cocky or arrogant. I'm not going to compare him to Brees (other than the one attribute they both share) because I don't think that's fair to Wilson. Brees is on a Hall of Fame pace, after all. But I've seen comparisons made between Wilson and guys like Doug Flutie and Seneca Wallace which makes me wonder if people even bothered to watch him play. I don't know how anyone could have watched him play and not come away very impressed with his skills. It's funny when I would hear draft experts talking about how surprised they were when they saw Wilson do one thing or another. Nobody should have been surprised if you watched him play. It was all there on the field, clear as day.

[Ry's Guys]

I think my favorite college stat about him is in his freshman (redshirt) year he threw 17 TD's and 1 INT. I agree about the intangibles. Only 30 INT's his entire college career in almost 1,500 passes. This against the likes of Miami & Fla. St. whose corners live to make interceptions on ESPN.

[Tom Kessenich]

I said all along he was the third-best QB in this draft and any QB taken after RGIII not named Russell Wilson was the wrong pick.

[jdoggmms]

I also agree Tom. He reminds me of a smaller version of Donovan McNabb. It would take a lot of luck and maximizing his solid skill set and abilities to come close to matching McNabb's career accolades, but I have no doubt Wilson will be relevant for awhile in this league. It's just a matter of when he gets his opportunity (and the standard caveat for any player, avoiding injury)

[Tom Kessenich]

I also agree Tom. He reminds me of a smaller version of Donovan McNabb. It would take a lot of luck and maximizing his solid skill set and abilities to come close to matching McNabb's career accolades, but I have no doubt Wilson will be relevant for awhile in this league. It's just a matter of when he gets his opportunity (and the standard caveat for any player, avoiding injury)

Even though he didn't get drafted by a team where he would be first in line to start right away I think he ended up in a good spot. There's no question I think he could've survived being drafted by the Browns, for example, but I think the opportunity to learn on the sidelines (even if it's not for the entire season) will benefit him. He's a very smart guy and he picks things up very quickly. The more time he has to learn how the NFL works the better he'll be. I fully acknowledge my Badger bias but I don't rave like this about every former Wisconsin player. Just the ones I really believe in. And I really believe in Wilson.

[Tom Kessenich]

Interesting note from Albert Breer a few moments ago that the Seahawks believed if they didn't draft Wilson at 75 they wouldn't have had another shot. The Packers and Eagles, according to Breer, may have made a move to get Wilson if Seattle passed on him there.

[Tom Kessenich]

[boutrous11]

ha, you've been waiting to top this thread, haven't you Tom.