Russell Wilson grabbed the spotlight when he was picked by the Seattle Seahawks in the third round of the 2012 NFL Draft.
The move may have turned a few heads in the football world, but Wilson was far from surprised.
“I definitely knew they were a serious team,” said Wilson in an interview with ESPN. “I met with them several times, from the Senior Bowl, to the combine and I’ve talk to them over the phone a few times as well.”
Wilson enters an interesting quarterback situation in Seattle. The Seahawks recently signed former Packers’ backup Matt Flynn to a three-year deal, while 2011 acquisition Tavaris Jackson and Charlie Whitehurst will also do their best to figure into the mix once again this season.
The 2012 NFL season will present yet another chance for Wilson to prove himself in a new set of surroundings. The west-coast style offense will be very similar to the offensive philosophies that he dealt with during his time at North Carolina State.
“It’s a great offense to be in, that west-coast style,” Wilson said. “I’m very, very familiar with it from playing at N.C. State. I believe I have a tremendous knowledge of it, but I want to know it all.”
Though his height has been a well-discussed issue throughout the course of the offseason, Wilson is not going to let it determine his future.
“My height doesn’t define my skillset,” Wilson said. “I believe that I have all the skills and I have to work at it every day. I know that I’m 5-11, but I have to play tall in the pocket.”
It’s worth noting that Wilson isn’t the first sub-six foot quarterback to take snaps for the Seahawks in recent memory. Former starter Seneca Wallace also measured just 5-11.
Seahawks’ head coach Pete Carroll was excited about adding to Wilson to the roster.
“With Russell, this is such an incredible athlete that has had extraordinary historic success – done some things that people have never thought of doing before,” Carroll said. “The fact that he is also such an extraordinary kid, he can handle all the pressure he’s going to be under and all the scrutiny that he’s always had.”
The impending addition of Wilson combined with John Moffitt and Chris Maragos makes three former Badgers on the Seahawks’ roster.
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