Multiple sources made the observation that Russell, and not the newly acquired Jason Campbell, performed the best in drills and scrimmages. In spite of the rumors that Russell was nearing the 300 pound mark, Russell moved well and was pretty accurate.
I documented my belief a month ago (which seems like ten years ago) that Russell would become the greatest draft bust in NFL history because the Raiders had already given up on him by pursuing another starting caliber quarterback. The recent reports have done nothing to change that opinion.
I don't wish any ill will on Russell. He is an immensely talented player from a physical standpoint and could be a difference maker on the NFL level.
Before Russell entered the NFL, he had been one of the biggest, strongest, and best players on every team for which he had played.
Entering the NFL, Russell entered a world where everyone has elite physical ability. Preparation is what separates players at the highest level of football. Roger Staubach was quoted as saying, "Confidence doesn't come out of nowhere. It's a result of something... hours and days and weeks and years of constant work and dedication." Russell has gained a reputation for being the last in the office and the first one out. Perhaps the ease with which Russell dominated at the collegiate level has hindered his development as a legitimate NFL quarterback.
You can blame a lot of things on the Raiders: not giving him enough talent to work with, having a carousel of position coaches, and having an overall lack of organizational leadership. The fact remains that John Elway and Peyton Manning led their franchises to multiple Super Bowls and championships coming from NFL beginnings similar to Russell. They are the standard that Russell is held to as the first pick - fair or not.
Jason Campbell will win this job. The fact that Jamarcus Russell needed internal competition for motivation is not a problem. The problem lies in the reputation that Russell isn't motivated to beat his NFL opponents day in and day out when he had the job all to himself.
Every Morning Quarterback by Aharon Williams is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.
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