Rookie Russell Wilson Named Seahawks Starting Quarterback

Seahawks rookie quarterback Russell Wilson played so well in the preseason that he won the starting quarterback job. (Jamie Squire)

The Seattle Seahawks were excited when they were able to get former Wisconsin quarterback Russell Wilson in the third round of the 2012 NFL Draft. They thought they got great value considering where the pick was made. Despite leading the Badgers to the Rose Bowl in his senior year, Wilson's draft stock fell because he was thought as too undersized to be a starting quarterback in the NFL. When the Seahawks went out and signed free agent quarterback Matt Flynn, it appeared that Wilson would be forced to battle out the backup job with incumbent Tavaris Jackson. However, Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll made it clear that all three quarterbacks would get an equal shot at the starting job.

As training camp got underway, Wilson was able to pick up the Seahawks offensive playbook more quickly than expected. He clearly benefited from playing in a West Coast offensive system in college. Wilson spent his first three years at North Carolina State before transferring for his senior year to Wisconsin. In his final year, he was named first-team, all-Big Ten quarterback.

Wilson's maturity was evident to the Seahawks coaching staff right away. Carroll told reporters, "He is so prepared. He doesn't seem like a first-year player. He seems like he's been around. He gets it, he understands, and he is a tremendous leader in that way. He doesn't do anything but the right thing in all of his work and his preparation and his competitiveness has been demonstrated again."

Flynn got the starts in the first two weeks of the preseason against the Tennessee Titans and Denver Broncos. He had his share of ups and downs in both games. Wilson came in during the second half of both games. He played quite well, but he was playing against backups in that stage of the game. Wilson's real test came when he was given the start last Friday night at the Kansas City Chiefs. All he did was complete 13 of 19 passes for 185 yards and two touchdowns. Wilson's quarterback rating on the night was an impressive 134.8. He also rushed for 58 yards as well. Flynn did not play against the Chiefs due to a sore elbow.

When one looks at Wilson's preseason numbers as a whole, one cannot help but be impressed by his performances. He went 35 of 52 (63.7%) for 464 yards and five touchdowns. Wilson's 119.4 quarterback rating led the league among eligible qualifiers. His only blatant mistake of the preseason was an interception in the end zone against the Titans. Other than that, Wilson had an impressive preseason from start to finish.

Therefore, it came as no surprise that Carroll named Wilson the Seahawks starting quarterback for the season opener at the Arizona Cardinals on September 9. Flynn will surely be disappointed to be relegated to yet another backup role, but he did not earn the starting job, and his injury certainly didn't help the situation in any way. The Seahawks traded Jackson to the Buffalo Bills for an undisclosed draft pick. I am excited to see how Russell Wilson does as the Seahawks starter this season. You can't help but root for a guy that almost everyone seemed to say couldn't make it as a starter in the NFL.