Russell Wilson: Seahawks Make Great Selection to Ignite QB Competition

On day two, the Seattle Seahawks selected Wisconsin's Russell Wilson in Round 3 of the 2012 NFL draft.

This was a great pick by Seattle, because despite his impressive numbers when given the opportunity, Matt Flynn remains a work in progress and unproven as a pro quarterback.

Wilson had consistent production while at North Carolina State and then for the Badgers; Sconnie won the Big Ten conference outright in 2011 with Wilson under center.

Flynn deserves to enter training camp as the starter, but the addition of Wilson generates a much-needed quarterback competition to improve the Seattle offense for coach Pete Carroll. Here, we look at why Wilson has the potential to at least compete—if not start—in 2012.

Consistent Success

Before joining the Badgers in 2011, Russell Wilson was at the helm for the N.C. State Wolfpack between 2008 and 2010.

During his tenure there, the Wolfpack went only 20-18, but the offense moved the ball consistently well. In three seasons for N.C. State, Wilson compiled over 8,500 passing yards, almost 1,100 rushing yards and threw just 26 interceptions.

As for touchdowns, Wilson combined for 93 total touchdowns and led the Wolfpack to two bowl games. Moving to Wisconsin for 2011, Wilson put together a miraculous season, with 33 passing touchdowns to only four picks, a 72.8 completion percentage and an 11-3 season.

On the ground, Wilson was also effective, with 338 yards and six scores, but his ability to transition under center in a pro-style offense was uniquely impressive.

Adaptability

Along with orchestrating a pro-style offense for the Badgers, Wilson's ability to adapt quickly is what makes him such a good prospect.

N.C. State plays in the ACC, and it's a different style of football than the Big Ten. Still, Wilson saw an increase in production and overall success, and because of that, Wisconsin brought home the Big Ten championship.

This intangible ability to adapt gives Wilson increased odds of competing for the starting job. His ability to read defenses pre-snap and improvise mid-play keeps opponents off balance and will screw up blitz packages.

Even more favorable to Wilson is that his move from the Wolfpack to the Badgers was before the 2011 season. Now in the NFL, Wilson has already gone through one recent quick change of scenery, so he's more acclimated to playing in a new environment.

As for the Seattle offense, Wilson will grasp it quickly courtesy of his time spent with the Badgers. Wilson possesses a high football IQ, has spot-on marksmanship and mobility and rarely gets passes knocked down.

Tangibles

Although he's undersized, Russell Wilson's ability to stay in the pocket, feel the rush while keeping his eyes downfield and mobility when needed will help his transition into the NFL.

He's deadly accurate and knows how to throw receivers open against tight coverage. Wilson has the confidence to dart the rock between small zone windows and allow his teammates to make plays downfield.

Before the snap is where Wilson arguably impresses the most. His innate ability to visualize what the defense is running to make faster reads is why he produced so consistently well at a high level.

Quarterbacks have to take a cognitive approach to the game more than any other position, because it's the only position that touches the football on every snap. Whether he's in or out of the pocket, Wilson has sound mechanics and knows how to get his feet involved with every throw.

The Seahawks' offense will be based around the presence of running back Marshawn Lynch, so Wilson's play-action fakes are vital to his impact. That said, he has the mobility to excel on bootlegs, waggles and sprint-outs to draw up defenders.

Seattle fields an impressive receiving corps, so provided that Wilson maintains his accuracy and preparedness, he'll be a tough competitor for Matt Flynn as Pete Carroll's starting quarterback.

John Rozum on Twitter.