Why I Hate The Russell Wilson Pick

Hate is a really strong word. I almost never use it. It’s simply too definitive. It is the ultimate black and white word in a universe of infinite greyscale. So when I do break it out, you know that there’s no wiggle room in the way that I feel. Unfortunately, that exactly how I feel about the Seahawks using a 3rd round pick on QB Russell Wilson.

Never in the history of the NFL has a 5-10 QB had sustained success. It just hasn’t happened. And it’s not for the lack of trying. There’s been plenty of really good college QBs who were simply too short to make it in the NFL. If none of them could, why do we think Wilson can?

And I don’t care that he’s got long arms and a high release point. Do you really think that he’s the only 5-10 QB with those attributes in the past 50 years? nope, sorry, I don’t buy it. Like it or not, 6-4 is the NFL QB prototype for a reason.

And no, Drew Brees isn’t a sufficient reason to believe that Wilson can make it in the NFL. Not only is Brees a full 2 inches taller than Wilson, but Brees himself proves that it probably isn’t possible. Brees is the exception that proves the rule. Look at everything that Brees is, not just his height. He’s got a fantastic arm, a lightning quick delivery, flawless footwork and mechanics, uncanny accuracy, and an amazingly high football IQ. And even with all of that, he still struggled for much of his time in San Diego. It wasn’t until he got a lot of talent around him before he was able to carry the load.

Are you really sure that Wilson has all those qualities? And even if he does, what quality, what attribute is going to make up for the fact that he’s 2 full inches shorter than Brees. Isn’t Wilson going to have to something even better than Brees to make up for that? I just don’t see how that’s possible.

Lets face it, all of you will admit that there is height minimum to play QB in the NFL if you’re being honest with yourself. 5-10, 5-8, 5-5? It’s there and you know. Admit it. So why is it that my Seahawks have to be the team that establishes that minimum? Let some crappy team waste their time with it.

The Seahawks have the talent to have a top 5 defense and a top 10 running game. With that, they should be super bowl contenders if the QB and passing game dont screw the entire thing up. Now is not the time to be wasting years trying to figure out if there’s been a massive paradigm shift in what makes an acceptable NFL Quarterback. Finding a QB with all of the requisite skills to be successful is tough enough. Why waste time on player who, even if it turns out that he does in fact have all those skills, that he still might fail because of his height.

That is why this pick simply makes no sense. Instead of getting a player who can play now and help with team win and get to the next level, Pete Carroll and John Schneider take a player who likely wont play a snap in 2012, and may never have what it take to play in the league at all just because he’s too short to get it done.

And before you completely crucify me for my opinion, realize that the rest of the NFL agrees with me. If you look at the film, Russell should have been a top 10 pick. He dropped to the third round entirely because the NFL doesn’t believe that a QB can win when he’s only 5-10. I mean seriously, there was a punter taken before Wilson. A Punter!

Now before you get the wrong idea about what kind of fan I am, I’m not going to be rooting for Wilson fail. I want more than anything for him to prove me wrong and become a truly elite player. I’m going to be rooting for him to succeed at the same level that I do for Kam Chancellor, Earl Thomas, and the rest of my favorites. Thats just the way I roll.

He’s hoping that I’m wrong. I just have a strong feeling that I’m not going to be.