As much appreciation as I have for Seattle Seahawks QB Russell Wilson and what he has accomplished in becoming a starter, I didn't fully understand until I did some research just how much the odds were stacked against him coming into his first season in the league.
Wilson measured 5-foot-10⅝ and 204 pounds during the pre-draft process, and from a scouting standpoint, that is a red flag. A lack of height hinders a quarterback's ability to see the entire field from within the pocket, especially down the field, and a smaller frame raises durability concerns.
Had Wilson been 6-3, his production, athleticism and outstanding intangibles would have earned him a first-round grade, but because of his small stature, I actually thought we at Scouts Inc. were a little high on him when we gave Wilson a late-third/early-fourth round grade.
So just how big a chance did the Seahawks take? For some perspective, I went back and looked at the 10 drafts from 2002 to 2011, and I was blown away by just how rare Wilson's successful transition is.
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Todd McShay
Scouts Inc.- ESPN College Football and NFL Draft Analyst
- Joined ESPN in 2006
- Played quarterback in high school and was a backup QB for the University of Richmond.
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Scouts Inc.
Todd McShay (left) is the director of college scouting for Scouts Inc. McShay, who played quarterback at Richmond, has been evaluating NFL prospects since 1998. Follow Todd on Twitter: @McShay13
Steve Muench (middle) played guard at Richmond and worked in the athletic department there and at Boston College before joining Scouts Inc. in 2002. Follow Steve on Twitter: @SteveMuenchESPN
Kevin Weidl (right) is a former quarterback for Indiana (Pa.) University who worked in the pro scouting department for the New York Jets before joining Scouts Inc. in 2007. Follow Kevin on Twitter: @Kevin_Weidl
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