Russell Wilson Targeted as 'Possible Savior' in 2012 NFL Draft, Ex-Bills GM Says

Former Buffalo Bills general manager Buddy Nix said the Bills wanted to take quarterback Russell Wilson in the 2012 NFL draft but miscalculated where he would be selected. 

In an interview with Tim Graham of The Athletic, Nix said: "We wanted him from the very start. We felt he would be there with our first pick in the fourth round, but he wasn't there. We waited a half-round too long."

The Bills had two picks in the fourth round that year, and rather than selecting Wilson in the third round, they took wide receiver T.J. Graham 69th overall, betting that Wilson would last until the fourth. Instead, the Seattle Seahawks swooped in and took Wilson with the No. 75 overall selection.

Graham wrote that Nix and the Bills viewed Wilson as a "possible savior," but it was the Seahawks who reaped the benefits, as Wilson led them to a Super Bowl win in his second NFL season.

The 31-year-old Wilson is preparing to enter his ninth NFL season and is well on his way to cementing a Hall of Fame resume. Wilson has led the Seahawks to the Super Bowl twice, winning once and been named to the Pro Bowl six times. He has also been a strong NFL MVP candidate on multiple occasions.

He has thrown for 29,734 yards, 227 touchdowns and just 68 interceptions during his career and has also rushed for 3,993 yards and 19 scores. Last season was arguably the best of Wilson's career to date. He completed 66.1 percent of his passes for 4,110 yards, 31 touchdowns and five picks.

There were question marks surrounding Wilson coming out of college, most notably his size at just 5'11", but Nix liked what he brought to the table: "He was short, but there was something about him. You knew this guy had something special. He was going to win wherever he went."

While Wilson has a chance to go down as one of the greatest quarterbacks in NFL history, Graham was one of the more nondescript third-round picks in recent memory.

He spent just two seasons with the Bills, averaging 27 receptions for 342 yards and 1.5 touchdowns. He then had brief stints with the New York Jets and New Orleans Saints before fizzling out of the league after the 2015 season.

Entering the 2012 season, the Bills had already missed the playoffs in 12 straight years. The Wilson gaffe didn't help matters, and Buffalo missed the playoffs five more years in succession before finally ending the drought in 2017.

The Bills returned to the playoffs last season and may finally have their long-term answer at quarterback for the first time since Hall of Famer Jim Kelly retired following the 1996 season.

Josh Allen, who Buffalo selected with the No. 7 overall pick in the 2018 NFL draft, has shown flashes of greatness in his first two NFL seasons and led the Bills to a 10-6 mark last season.

With quarterback Tom Brady deciding to leave the New England Patriots for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in free agency, Allen has a golden opportunity to lead the Bills to their first AFC East title since 1995.

The future looks bright for the Bills now, but there is no telling how much winning and glory they missed out on due to the decision to wait on Wilson in the 2012 draft.