Russell Wilson: Wisconsin QB a Risk Worth Taking for Seattle Seahawks

GM John Schneider and the Seattle Seahawks have taken a lot of heat from both the media and draft analysts alike over the last two days of the NFL draft. 

While you can make the argument that West Virginia defensive end Bruce Irvin and Utah State linebacker Bobby Wagner were "reaches," the same can't be said for the Seahawks' taking of Wisconsin quarterback Russell Wilson. It was a calculated risk worth taking for Seattle. 

If there's one thing Schneider took away from his time with the Green Bay Packers, it's this: Teams don't win in the NFL without good quarterback play. Green Bay seamlessly transitioned from one Hall of Fame quarterback (Brett Favre) to another well on his way (Aaron Rodgers), winning two Super Bowls along the way.

The same can't be said in Seattle. No matter which way you slice it, the Seahawks did not get good quarterback play in 2011.

Tarvaris Jackson threw for over 3,000 yards and had more touchdowns (14) than interceptions (13) during his first season with the Seahawks, but those kind of numbers no longer get the job done in today's NFL. The Seahawks were too often overmatched at the quarterback position. 

So instead of sitting on his heels and waiting for Jackson to put it together, Schneider got aggressive.

He started by going out and signing Matt Flynn to a decent-sized deal in free agency, which gave Seattle a player groomed in the quarterback school in Green Bay and ready to start at the NFL level. 

Then he used a third-round pick on Wilson, who probably would have been a first-round pick if he were three inches taller. Wilson shattered the NCAA's quarterback efficiency record during his senior season at Wisconsin and possesses the kind of skill set that should translate well to the pro game.

In all likelihood, Wilson's 5'11" height kept a quarterback-needy team from making him the fourth player at the position drafted in this year's first round. A third-round pick seemed about right given the height concerns. 

While the price was still "steep" to get Wilson, Schneider's thinking was well-founded.

Instead of hoping Flynn is the answer long-term, Schneider brought in another quarterback who has the potential to be the man in Seattle. In the simplest of terms, Schneider is giving his football team every chance it needs to find its answer at quarterback to Favre and Rodgers in Green Bay. 

When the dust settles, that's all you can really ask out of general manager. Schneider has understood a clear weakness—one that could be the difference between the postseason and a top-15 pick every season—and did everything in his power to fix it. Without an answer at quarterback, the Seahawks will never get where every fan wants them to be at the end of a given season.

So while you can scratch your head at some of the other moves Seattle has made in this draft, the decision to take Wilson isn't one of them. Give the Seahawks credit this offseason for being the aggressor in their search for a franchise quarterback.