NFL Rumors: Some in New York Jets Front Office Coveted Russell Wilson on Draft Day

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Russell Wilson
Matt Kartozian-US PRESSWIRE

 

How close did rookie quarterback Russell Wilson come to starting his NFL career as a member of the New York Jets instead of the Seattle Seahawks? It may have been pretty darn close, actually.

This week, Jets defensive coordinator Mike Pettine revealed that some in the Jets’ scouting department and front office coveted Wilson, and the Jets had serious thoughts about drafting and developing him before Seattle got him.

Senior personnel executive Terry Bradway was at the forefront of the Wilson-to-the-Jets campaign, to the point that some people in the organization would refer to the quarterback as “Russell Bradway” as they evaluated him.

“He’s a rookie, but … I think the league has been taken aback by how poised this rookie quarterback class is,” Pettine said, as the Jets prepare to face Wilson this week. “He’s no different. He doesn’t look out of place out there.”

The Seahawks drafted Wilson in the third round, with the 75th overall pick of the 2012 NFL Draft, just two picks before the Jets were on the clock at 77th overall. The Jets would go on to select inside linebacker Demario Davis.

“We knew about [Wilson] and liked him,” Pettine said. “He’s proving he’s a complete quarterback. He just happens to be not as tall as your prototype [quarterback]. He was a proven winner in college and he’s showing it in the NFL.”

“You can tell he’s very savvy. He knows where to go with the football. He can make plays in and out of the pocket. He’s very dangerous when he gets out and he can make guys miss.”

The Jets missed out on drafting Wilson, and now they’ll have to try to figure out how to stop him.

 

For more NFL rumblings, check out the Rant Sports NFL Rumors page

 Jon Presser is www.RantSports.com’s New York Jets Lead Columnist 
Follow him on Twitter @metsjetsnets88
Contact him at 

 

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