JaMarcus Russell is confident he will make history Saturday in New York for the 2007 NFL Draft.
An LSU player has never been selected first, but the former Tiger quarterback is almost every expert’s consensus No. 1 pick.
“I’ve always believed [Russell] would be the first pick in the draft,” local NFL analyst Mike Detillier said. “He fits what they want offensively in that he is a big, strong-armed guy who can rifle the ball down the field, and that is what Raiders owner Al Davis likes.”
Russell is currently No. 4 on ESPN draft analyst Mel Kiper’s draft board behind Oklahoma University running back Adrian Peterson, Georgia Tech wide receiver Calvin Johnson and Wisconsin University offensive tackle Joe Thomas, but Detillier said the Raiders’ needs will dictate their pick.
“It’s an issue of who do you take, the big-time wide receiver or the franchise quarterback,” he said. “That’s a no-brainer to almost every general manager in the NFL.”
Russell has impressed scouts since the day he decided to forego his senior season for the NFL. Since Russell declared leaving for the NFL, several myths have emerged about how far he can throw the football, but Russell said Wednesday on ESPN’s Cold Pizza he thinks he has one of the best arms in the NFL.
“I can throw it probably 85 [yards],” Russell said. “During Thursday walk-throughs after practice I used to get on a knee at the 50 and try to throw it through the uprights. Once it would go through the uprights, it would fall back about six yards, so that’s about 60 yards on a knee.”
At LSU, Russell threw the second-most touchdown passes in school history with 52, and his 6,625 career yards was No. 3
Each player ahead of Russell in the record books played for four seasons, where Russell only had three.
Many analysts say Russell’s decision-making skills may still be below average, but Detillier said Russell’s 25-4 record as LSU’s starter says otherwise.
“[Russell] is a future franchise quarterback who has the tools to be a future dominant player,” Detillier said. “If you look at the [SEC], he might be the most dominant young quarterback since John Elway.”
Russell and Notre Dame quarterback Brady Quinn are the quarterbacks listed No. 1 and No. 2 at their position in every expert’s board.
Quinn has gone on record and said several times he believes he will be a better pro than Russell, but Russell said he believes he is the best quarterback in the draft.
“We both have different styles of play,” he said. “But at some point in time there are some things that certain people do better than the other, and I think my style of play is more closely to what you see on Sundays.”
Russell’s 4.8-second 40-yard dash time was a strong point in his Pro Day workout, but Russell said he will avoid running as much as possible at the next level.
“I like to sling it around a little bit,” he said. “I like to dink little short passes and throw long if I have to. I don’t look to run as much. I would rather throw a touchdown than run for a touchdown.”
—–Contact Casey Gisclair at [email protected]