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NFL 2012: a banner year for rookie quarterbacks

Encouraged by the success of Carolina’s Cam Newton and Cincinnati’s Andy Dalton last season, five teams hand the offensive controls to five players fresh out of the college ranks.

6. Russell Wilson, Seattle Seahawks

Joe Mahoney/AP
Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson carries the ball during an NFL football preseason football game against the Denver Broncos, Saturday, Aug. 18, 2012, in Denver.

  • By Ross Atkin Staff

Drafted: #75 overall (in third round)

Pro status: starter

College team: Wisconsin

5 ft. 11 in., 206 lbs.

Hometown: Richmond, Va.

QB rating in preseason: 91.7

The Seahawks acquired free agent Matt Flynn, Aaron Rodgers’ backup with the Packers, expecting that the four-year veteran would be the team’s starter – but Wilson changed all that. Despite his relatively small size (he’s the smallest of all the rookie QBs), Wilson both passes and runs with authority, and is a born leader. Coach Pete Carroll says, “He is so prepared. He doesn’t seem like a first-year player.” Wilson has taken an interesting path to the NFL. The son of a former two-sport Dartmouth athlete who had a “cup of coffee” with the San Diego Chargers also has played both football and baseball, and was drafted by baseball’s Colorado Rockies in 2010. Wilson played football at North Carolina State, and after quitting baseball transferred to the University of Wisconsin last season for one final year of college eligibility – a transfer he was able to make without sitting out a season because he had already graduated. He stepped right in to lead the Badgers to a Big Ten title and Rose Bowl berth. During 50 games in college, he set an NCAA record by throwing 379 consecutive passes without an interception. He also is one of just a handful of players at the major-college ranks to ever throw for more than 5,000 yards and rush for more than 1,000 yards.

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Mark Sappenfield
Editor

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