Since Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson debuted in 2012, he has been one of the best signal callers in the National Football League.
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His combination of pocket presence, agility, and durability has led to seven Pro Bowl appearances and a Super Bowl victory against the Denver Broncos.
As a matter of fact, he's been a superstar for years.
Russell Wilson's High School Highlights
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t8oOxXUujgY&ab_channel=MaxPreps
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Wilson suited up for the Collegiate School in Richmond, Virginia. Looking at these high school highlights, it is easy to see flashes of the elusiveness that he continues to display professionally. Even 15 years ago, it was impossible to bring him down.
Scouts started to come calling after his junior year, during which Wilson threw for 3,287 yards and had 40 touchdown passes. That year, he also had 15 rushing scores. His senior year was similarly impressive, and in his Cougars' career, he accounted for 107 touchdowns.
Wilson was named his conference's player of the year in 2006. Wilson's older brother played for the team when Wilson was younger, so it must have been nice to have that family lineage continue in the program. A trip to play NCAA college football was all but certain
Surprisingly, Wilson's highlights did not get him scouted as more than a three-star player. Hindsight shows us that was a huge mistake.
Russell Wilson in College
Wilson was not heavily recruited, but he still landed Division I offers and opted to join the North Carolina State Wolfpack. He was solid there, but NC State is not exactly a football powerhouse.
That, along with clashes between Wilson and head coach Tom O'Brien, made the QB switch from the ACC to the Big Ten and join the University of Wisconsin, but not before a stint in a different sport.
Wilson was a great passer, but he could have been just as exceptional on the baseball diamond as he is on his football teams. The Colorado Rockies drafted him in 2010, but he chose to stick with football after a brief stint in the minor leagues.
Wilson had an incredible senior year as a member of the Badgers. In his 2011 campaign, he threw for 33 touchdowns, rushed for an additional six, threw just four interceptions, and led his team to a Rose Bowl appearance.
His passing efficiency was simply preposterous; he had a QB rating of 191.8. Madison was kind to Wilson and propelled him to superstardom.
Russell Wilson in the NFL
“Let’s get it man!”@DangeRussWilson was mic’d up in Week 5. 🔉🆙 (by @MichelobUltra) pic.twitter.com/qhD2Tc7AGb
— NFL (@NFL) October 14, 2020
The Seattle Seahawks took Wilson in the third round of the 2012 NFL Draft, and he was named the starting quarterback in that year's preseason. He continues to make teams regret not picking him sooner.
To date, the Seahawks have not had a losing record in the regular season with Wilson at the helm, and he has brought the team success in the playoffs as well. Pete Carroll's team won back-to-back NFC titles earlier in the decade, and even though they only have one Super Bowl victory to show for it, they were just one play away from beating the New England Patriots.
In 2020, Wilson has been terrific. If he can finish this strange year strong, he has a great chance of winning his first MVP. Associated Press, the ball is in your hands. The COVID-19 pandemic has made the NFL season a challenging one, but he has risen above it and performed well on the field.
Just a casual five-touchdown day for @DangeRussWilson in Week 3.@Seahawks | #DALvsSEA pic.twitter.com/FnPUYoltz4
— NFL (@NFL) September 28, 2020
Off the field, Wilson has taken advantage of superstardom with his wife Ciara.
Remember that baseball experience? He has been able to take in spring training with multiple MLB teams. With some seasoning, perhaps he can make a name for himself in different sport years down the line.
Russell Wilson has been spectacular for nearly two decades. I'm sure more teams watched his high school highlights before he began terrorizing their defenses 16 games each fall.
