What is your opinion on JaMarcus Russell? Overrated?

Question

I think so. I mean how many times do you throw the ball deep in a game? Hardly. ALSO, NOTE: Have you heard of him before his final game of the season?

For the record, (herb c and kracker) i never knocked him for his talent. I know he's a FREAK of nature built like the strongest qb in the league (culpepper, but even more jacked), and can throw the ball 40 yds on his back! and also, yes that's a good point that he'll need to study a alot of tape like anyone else to disect defenses.

Answer 1

I agree he is overrated. The NFL player he was most compared to, Daunte Culpepper, is overrated. I mean, what did the Vikings ever win with Culpepper. It was Randy Moss that made Culpepper good. Without him, Culpepper stunk.

Maybe Moss can rekindle that magic in Oakland with Russell? I think this is what the Raiders are thinking.

Russell had some good games last year, but everyone remembers him against Notre Dame, whose defence was really not that good. Really, the best QB is Brady Quinn. He's played in a pro-style offence at Notre Dame and he's used to the spotlight. His coach, Charlie Weis, worked with Tom Brady while with the Patriots.

This whole situation reminds me of QB's like Jeff George and Jim Druckenmiller, who had these huge throwing arms and could heave the ball while on their knees 50 yards. They were great at the combine in T-shirts and shorts. But what does that have to do with football, really?

If you can make all the smart throws and read defences and still throw deep, that's great (ie) Peyton Manning. But if all you can do is throw deep and be intercepted 3 or 4 times per game, you're really not that good. What did George and Druckenmiller ever accomplish?

Answer 2

Overrated are you serious? This guy can do it all!! He thros the ball at least 50 yards on his knees, he can throw the entire field flat-footed. The guy has the abilty to run at anytime and isn't afraid of a big hit, not to mention he can take the hits.

Far as him throwing the deep balls during a game. You must never have played football. From someone that has played for 8 years I can tell you right now. It is not his choice if they're wanting to throw deep or just dump it off to a TE, WR, RB on a screen pass. Its the coaches! If the coach says throw it deep then he does, if the coach says dump it off then the only time hes not gonna do it is if the defense has it read.

And have you ever heard of JaMarcus Russell? You have to be joking! Russell was one if not the best of Alabama QB's in high school. Russell has been playing backup or starting ever since the Tigers got him.

Dude seriously you need to keep up with the game a little bit more before asking these dumb questions!

Answer 3

I think the fact that no one heard of him before the final game makes him less known and therefore underrated. How many times you throw the ball deep in a game is irrelevant because the guy's got a cannon for an arm, and with a guy like him, you can afford to go deep and stretch the field cuz he's no Tom Brady or Pennington that only has the arm strength to make a drive out of short 10 yard passes. With Russell you can actually go deep a lot more, and you can stretch the field so much better.
Russell's a fairly big man too, and when you need a QB sneak in a clutch situation he'll pound it in, and he's tough to bring down for the sack. That's got to count for something. i don't think he's undderated, i mean yeah, he's somewhat unproven cuz we haven't rly heard of him, but by asking how many times a team will throw deep, you're admitting that Russell has a cannon for an arm. I mean who would you take, a guy with a strong arm, or a guy with a weak, arm? and the fact that he beat Notre Dame on national tv in a bowl game and made Quinn look like a freshman adds to his value too. Russell's got an arm, he's got size, and he's got poise. I don't think he's overrated at all. I don't think he's overrated, but whether he'll do good is a whole 'nother argument.

Answer 4

Finally someone says what I've been saying since the bowl season ended. Nobody heard of him since that 1 game in January. I don't think he's half as good a quarterback as Brady Quinn. I think of the two of them as Ryan Leaf and Peyton Manning, Russell is Leaf and Quinn is Manning. Russell won't be able to hit the short or intermediate routes with any accuracy. I don't care that he can throw the ball 63 yards from his knees, last time I checked that means he's down, the play is over. And I don't care if he can throw the football 80+ yards, just how many of those throws will sail on his receivers and end up in the hands of the DB. Quinn has the smarts and the grit to play every down in his first NFL season, like Manning as a rookie. And ran the West Coast and Patriots style offenses under Willingham and Weis, thus could make the switch from college to the pro game in a flash.

Answer 5

Wu tang u need to watch football more or at least who throws the ball deep. The Raiders have built a tradition on the deep ball and even though they have not had much sucess withit lately they still are comitted t th elong bal and always will. He is not over rated get direct tv or a sports packeage and you would know that Russell is a good QB. He will be alright. They said Vince would not be ready also. Over rated is Quinn or Mario Williams of last year. An =d for the idiot that assume because he is black he is not smart, Dan Marino finished so low on the aptitude test he took they thought he was retarded. I think he did alright. WHat Big game did Brady Quinn win while at ND, man i wish u people get that BS out of your thinking. Quinn is a joke, if was so great why are the scouts who no more than we do on most picks are not giving Quinn the pick status he should have.

Answer 6

He'll be a rookie QB in the NFL. If he plays he will make lots of mistakes and turn the ball over a bunch. He has the physical tools but as we've seen time and time again it takes much more than just that to be a successful QB in the NFL. Will he become one of the better QBs in the league 2 or 3 years from now? Drafting a QB is almost always a gamble in my opinion.

Answer 7

overrated. ya, there was hardly any press or hype of him (or even Leak for that matter) before the bowls. people are judging all the QBs by how they played in the bowl games. just because Russel's team killed Quinn's, it doesnt mean he is better. hes probabally the 2nd or third best. although hes not the best QB in this draft class, Brady Quinn will probabally do the best in the NFL. everybody's forgetting how well Troy Smith can play and how fast he is. the height isn't the problam. he is the exact height of Drew Brees. he is just getting a lotta crap from the championship game. that game wasnt his fault. it was the O-Line's. (as an o-lineman, i can knowingly say that the loss was their fault). if he can get protection, he can throw perfect. Smith can't be a top pick because if he can start as a backup to a team with a good line, he can work his way up to start. if the Bears drafted him, he would start over Grossman by game 3.
TOP-6 QBs
1. Brady Quinn (he IS better than JaMarcus Russel)
2. JaMarcus Russel (he will get drafted higher than Troy Smith just because all of the bowl hype)
3. Troy Smith (he is better than Chris Leak (and Russel, but that won't happen)
4. Chris Leak (he is good, but not srafted-before-smith-good)
5. Drew Stanton (he can throw, but is not of ideal speed)
6. Kevin Kolb (this U of H QB is very high-caliber, but will be drafted in 3rd-5th round because he doesn't play for a big team) ((i put him as fifth, but forgot about Stanton, so he is 6th))

Answer 8

U never heard of him becaue you're not a real college football fan. A real college football guru would know to not listen to the media when they give all the attention to teams in the Pac-10 and other teams like Notre Dame who play easy schedules. Just about every team in the SEC is better than all the teams in the Pac-10 the ACC, the big east, and The independents like Notre Dame. The Big-12 is practically the only conference with as much power as the SEC. JaMarcus Russell is amazingly talented. He could mature just like Vince Young, if he gets a tutor. He never throws deep??? you're and idiot.

Answer 9

If you followed SEC football than you would have known about him for the last 3 seasons. You would also know that the majority of his passes were screens, curls and passes within 15 yards of the line of scrimmage. He does have a rocket arm but he also has finesse. JaMarcus was the 2nd best QB in the nation his senior year of highschool in Mobile. Like the majority of black QB's he is not the sharpest tool in the shed, but his strenth, size and ability to perform under pressure will make him an excellent NFL QB.

Answer 10

I see him as a bust... not a Ryan Leaf type bust... but he will end up being like Rex Grossman. He can throw the ball deep but what else can he do. Hes not even close to a Culpepper because he could really scramble back in the day. As a Raiders fan I am praying we take Calvin Johnson or even Joe Thomas. Andrew Walters can get the job done with a good OL. And from past experience as a Raiders fan expect the unexpected on draft day. I don't think Russel goes #1.