Russell Wilson (born November 29, 1988) is an American professional football quarterback for the Pittsburgh Steelers in the NFL as of 2024. Previously, he played ten seasons with the Seattle Seahawks, where he won Super Bowl XLVIII and earned nine Pro Bowl selections. Wilson also had a stint with the Denver Broncos before joining the Steelers. He holds numerous records, including most wins by a quarterback in his first nine seasons.
Wilson played college football at NC State and Wisconsin, where he led the Badgers to a Big Ten title. Beyond football, Wilson played minor league baseball and is part owner of the Seattle Sounders FC. Known for his philanthropy, he was awarded the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year in 2020 and the Bart Starr Award in 2022.
Also read: Russell Wilson Super Bowl Wins
Russell Wilson Draft: Year, Date, Round and Pick Number
The Seattle Seahawks selected Wilson in the third round of the 2012 NFL Draft with the 75th overall pick. Being able to get a franchise quarterback that led them to the first Super Bowl in franchise history in the third round was definitely one of the highlights of this pick.
| Draft Year | Round | Pick Number | NFL Team | Position | College | Conference (College) |
| 2012 | 3 | 75 | Seattle Seahawks | Quarterback | University of Wisconsin | Big Ten |
Grading Russell Wilson’s NFL Draft
Russell Wilson has been one of the best drafts by the Seattle Seahawks and it was unexpected that the quarterback drafted in Round 3 of the draft would turn out so influential for the team. Wilson’s draft was originally graded ‘F’ by analysts and he has proven them grossly wrong. Wilson led the Seahawks to their first-ever Super Bowl victory and even helped them reach consecutive Super Bowls. Wilson is a top-grade draft pick and one of the best quarterbacks who was initially underrated.
Russell Wilson’s Draft Bio and Profile
NFL scouts perform detailed analyses of players who enter the NFL Draft. They create a report based on a player’s college performance and NFL Combine performance. These reports help a team understand whether a certain player fulfills their needs or not. Here is a summary of Russell Wilson’s NFL Draft profile:
| Russell Wilson | Quarterback, University of Wisconsin. 5 ft. 10 inches, 204 pounds |
| Summary | A very intelligent player who displays great arm strength and accuracy. Was a starter for Wisconsin ever since he joined. A dual-threat quarterback with great athletic capabilities. He is a great prospect but falls short of being a first round prospect due to his height. |
| Positives | He possesses outstanding arm strength along with the ability to throw accurate passes. Intelligent player who makes great decisions on the field. A mechanical quarterback who is consistent in his drop step and movement within the pocket. A born signal-caller and an effective scrambler. Was the nation's most efficient quarterback in 2011, earning a 191.78 QB rating. |
| Negatives | His height is not fit for an ideal quarterback. The ability to throw deep throws against opponents of an elite level is yet to be seen. |
| NFL Combine Note | 40 Yard Dash: 4.55 seconds, Wonderlic: 28 (0-50), Three-Cone Drill: 6.97 seconds, Vertical Leap: 34 inches, Broad Jump: 9 feet 10 inches & 20 Yard Shuttle: 4.09 seconds |
How many quarterbacks were chosen before Russell Wilson?
Russell Wilson was a great prospect in the 2012 NFL Draft however, his height put him at a disadvantage of being a top pick. He was the sixth quarterback to be picked in the Draft. Wilson was pick number 75 in the 3rd Round. Here are the players who got drafted before Russell Wilson:
- Andrew Luck
He was the overall first pick of the 2012 NFL Draft. Luck was a player who helped put Stanford on the map for football. The Indianapolis Colts got a decent performance from the player. Luck had a tendency to get intercepted even though he led the league in touchdown passes in 2014. He retired prematurely after the 2018 season, citing injuries.
2. Robert Griffin III
He was the overall number 2 pick of the 2012 NFL Draft and even won Rookie of the Year in his debut season. He was drafted by the Washington Redskins (now Washington Commanders) but failed to impress in the long run due to injuries. The gifted quarterback became a backup quarterback later in his career and retired in 2020 after a stint with the Baltimore Ravens. He is currently an NFL and college football analyst at ESPN.
3. Ryan Tannehill
The Miami Dolphins drafted Tannehill as overall pick number 8 in the First Round of the draft. He spent 7 seasons with the Dolphins before being traded to the Tennessee Titans. Tannehill had mediocre seasons as a Dolphins player but stepped up his game for the Titans where he continues to play.
4. Brandon Weeden
Drafted in Round 1 by the Cleveland Browns, Weden never really made much of an impact in the league. He was traded to the Dallas Cowboys after two seasons, who then traded him to the Houston Texans after two seasons. Weeden played one season for the Titans before ending his career with the Texans in 2019.
5. Brock Osweiler
Osweiler was a backup to Peyton Manning when he was drafted in the 2nd Round by the Denver Broncos. Osweiler helped the Broncos win a Super Bowl as an active backup. Osweiler traded to the Texans in 2016, before joining the Browns the following year. He finished his career in 2019 after a stint with the Dolphins.
Who was the #1 Pick In The NFL When Russell Wilson Got Drafted?
Quarterback Andrew Luck was the number 1 pick in the 2012 NFL Draft. He was considered a generational talent according to the NFL scouts. The four-time Pro-Bowler did indeed impress as a Colts player where he played for all of his NFL career. Luck retired in 2019 as he was affected by injuries throughout his career. He won the NFL Comeback Player of the Year in 2018 after coming back from a serious shoulder injury.
Who was the Seahawks QB before Wilson?
Wilson was traded to the Denver Broncos where he was the starting quarterback. However, when Wilson was drafted in 2012 by the Seattle Seahawks he replaced Tarvaris Jackson as the starting quarterback. Jackson played for the Seahawks only for one season prior to Wilson joining the team.
As a Seahawks player, he completed 2091 passing yards and passed for 14 touchdowns. He played a total of 15 games throughout the season and started in 14 of those games. He went to play for the Buffalo Bills in 2012 before returning to the Seahawks as a backup to Russell Wilson in 2013. He retired in 2015 and became a quarterback coach. Jackson tragically lost his life in a road accident in 2020.
Who was the quarterback before Russell Wilson at Wisconsin?
Scott Tolzien was the starting quarterback for the Wisconsin Badgers before Wilson transferred there from NC State. Tolzien declared for the NFL Draft in 2011 but remained undrafted. He played full seasons for the San Francisco 49ers and the Green Bay Packers as a backup quarterback. He retired in 2017 and currently serves as the quarterbacks coach for the Dallas Cowboys.
FAQs
A. Russell Wilson has won only one Super Bowl till now and had lost in the other appearance he had.
A. Russell Wilson has played for the Seattle Seahawks and the Denver Broncos, and now with the Pittsburgh Steelers as of 2024
A. Russell Wilson attended North Carolina State University for his college football career before transferring to the University of Wisconsin for his senior year.
A. Russell Wilson wears jersey number 3 for the Denver Broncos.
