Russell proving his worth, making case for #1

LSU Tigers' quarterback JaMarcus Russell wasn't even considered to be a possible first-round draft choice at the beginning of the year. Now, many people are changing their tunes about the 6'6", 260-pound behemoth of a signal-caller.

Many feel that the 21-year old Russell will be the best player to come out of the 2007 NFL Draft. Some mock drafts have him going as high as second, to the Oakland Raiders. Russell posted unbelievable numbers last season, completing 68.5% of his passes and throwing for 2,797 yards, 26 touchdowns, and only seven interceptions. Even more amazing was his unheard of quarterback rating, a ridiculous 168.1. Is that even possible?

Scouts say that he has the strongest arm alive. No, I'm not joking. And not only can he throw the ball, but despite his seemingly cumbersome 260-pound frame, Russell can run. He is not Michael Vick, but he can get out of the pocket and do things. Granted, he must improve his playmaking in the running game, as Russell had four games in which he rushed for negative yardage this year, once totaling as little as -23 yards on the ground in a game against Fresno State. However, Russell has also had his moments in pounding the football on the turf. On November 18th at Tennessee, he tallied 71 rushing yards on seven carries, his longest being a 34-yard scamper. Russell's numbers in that game were good for a 10.1 average, his best of the season.

Also, having the ability to move around and get out of the pocket isn't just limited to running the football. Russell can throw on the run, and he has the potential to develop into one of the best play-action and roll-out quarterbacks we've seen in a while with his combination of athleticism and arm strength.

Most (if not all) mock drafts have quarterback Brady Quinn of Notre Dame going number one to the Detroit Lions. However, in a recent statement, Quinn said that he would prefer to go to the Cleveland Browns, possibly eliminating the Lions and the Raiders from the equation, as the Browns have the third pick overall. This would take Quinn off both teams' minds in planning their draft and would give both teams the opportunity to take Russell with their first pick.

Now, there is no guarantee that the junior from LSU would make an immediate impact in the NFL. He would most likely have to sit for a year and learn the game. Let's face it. The kid has all of the talent in the world, but he is a work in progress. He must develop his playmaking skills and improve his field awareness. He must also learn to read defenses better and recognize blitzes, something he has improved on dramatically in his third season in college.

There is also no guarantee that the Lions will take a quarterback with their first pick, as some say that they would be content going in the 2007-2008 season with Jon Kitna running the offense and that they will select a defensive player with their first pick in the draft. This would mean that Russell could wind up going to the Raiders like the many mock drafts predict.

Personally, I think either Ohio State quarterback Troy Smith or Russell will be the best quarterback to come out of this draft. Smith is another player who may very well sneak up the draft board and into the top five, maybe even top two or three. His status in the draft clearly depends on how well he plays in the National Title game against Florida next week. Smith is known as a big-game quarterback, widely considered one of the best big-game quarterbacks in college history. Russell is yet to display the poise that Smith has demonstrated in big situations, something that may effect the perspective on both in the draft.

Russell has a huge game tonight against, you guessed it, potential draft-rival Quinn and Notre Dame in the Sugar Bowl. I will be watching to see how well he performs: will he make game-changing plays with his rocket arm? Will he make smart decisions, particularly in scrambling out of the pocket? Will he take control of his offense and the game? Will he out-play Quinn and therefore catapult himself in front of him on the draft boards? And, most importantly, will he display the kind of poise and sangfroid that every NFL team looks for in a quarterback? Winning the game isn't necessarily a must provided that he does well individually, but it would be a huge bonus. If Russell can do most or all of those things, I can assure you that he will be a very high pick in the 2007 NFL Draft.