Russell Wilson: Height Concerns Won't Stop Rocket-Armed QB from Success in NFL

Russell Wilson is going to be a phenomenal NFL quarterback.

If not for the fact that he's only 5'11", he'd be in the conversation at the top of the draft and would likely be drafted over Ryan Tannehill.

As it stands, even with the concerns about his height, Matt Waldman of the New York Times has ranked him as the No. 4 quarterback in the draft—right behind Tannehill.

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...when it comes to physical skill, passing technique, improvisational savvy and accuracy, I can’t think of a more consistent player behind him on this list. I also like that Wilson bristled at the idea of backing up Tim Tebow at the Senior Bowl when my colleague Cecil Lammey posed the question. He believes he’s a future starter.

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It's his belief in himself—along with his rocket arm—that convinces me he'll overcome the perception that he's not tall enough to be a starting quarterback in the NFL.

Per NFL.com, Wilson's weaknesses:

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Wilson's height will be his biggest inhibitor at the next level and the largest reason for his late-round value. It remains to be seen if he can throw effectively from the pocket at the next level.

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That's all they could come up with? Are you serious?

NFL Comparisons

Wilson is 5'11" and weighs 204 pounds. 

Drew Brees is 6'0" and weighs 209 pounds.

Michael Vick is 6'0" and weighs 215 pounds.

If Brees and Vick can be successful in the NFL, there is no reason to believe Wilson won't be able to do so as well.

Truth be told, Wilson has a better arm than Brees or Vick—not to mention he's deadly accurate as well. During his senior season with Wisconsin, Wilson connected on 72.8 percent of his passes while throwing for 33 touchdowns and only four interceptions (H/T Sports-Reference.com).

And Beyond

As I mentioned above, Wilson has a cannon for an arm, something Brees doesn't possess. Combined with his accuracy, he will become one of the most feared sharp-shooters in the NFL when it comes hitting his receivers in stride downfield.

Furthermore, Wilson is an exceptional overall athlete. He posted a time of 4.55 seconds in the 40-yard dash at the scouting combine earlier this spring, faster than both Andrew Luck and Cam Newton.

He is also deadly accurate while on the run. He can be tricky to defend when he's on the edge as he can take off and run for 20 yards or he can hit an open wide receiver 50 yards downfield with the flick of the wrist.

Wilson is going to have a huge chip on his shoulder, too. Most mock drafts don't have him being selected until the third or fourth rounds. Quarterbacks like Brandon Weeden, Brock Osweiler and Kirk Cousins are likely to be selected before him.

In the end, it won't matter. Wilson will have the last laugh. He will prove to the NFL once and for all that height shouldn't be a defining factor when evaluating quarterbacks.

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