JaMarcus Russell Will Be One of The Biggest Busts of All Time

JaMarcus Russell, the first overall pick in the 2007 NFL Draft, will go down in NFL lore as one of the biggest busts in NFL history.

Could you call such a statement premature? Yes, I suppose. I mean, Drew Brees was an average quarterback at best when he was leading the Chargers a few seasons ago, but we all know what he has become since.

And even when Brees was in San Diego, he was never that bad as Russell seems like to look right now.

To begin with, Russell’s career never got off to the right start. He held out during training camp of his rookie year, eventually getting a boatload of cash but missing significant time to further his progression. It was almost a bad omen to hold out, especially as the top overall pick.

But maybe an even more important question to ask is whether Russell should have been selected as the number one pick in the first place.

He had a couple good years at LSU, put up some nice numbers and showcased his strong arm. And although he led his team to a BCS bowl game victory and led his Tigers to some come-from-behind victories, there just seemed to be something missing from his game.

Russell lacked a fiery side to his play, something which seems to have transferred to the NFL. You don’t see him get angry when he throws a bad interception, nor do you see him acting as a leader and directing his offense to the right spots. It almost looks like his mentality is, “Hey, I’m just glad to be here and get paid.”

Quarterbacks are said to reach a certain level of expertise in their third season. Coaches either give rookie quarterbacks the clipboard their first year or two, or they just throw them in off the bat. It worked for Peyton Manning, but it has not panned out in the least for Russell.

Russell’s Raiders got trounced once again, losing to the Giants on Sunday by a score of 44-7. Yes, you read that right. And giving up that many points is not Russell’s fault, but did he do anything to help calm the situation? Well, he completed 8 of 13 passes, but that doesn’t tell the whole story. It doesn’t even tell half the story.

He got sacked six times and fumbled three times, focusing on his receivers as if he could not physically look at anybody else.

Is this the progression the Raiders expected when they drafted Russell two years ago? Of course not. But maybe, just maybe, he will somehow turn things around and miraculously become a somewhat decent signal-caller.

I wouldn’t hold your breath.