When you're looking to become a (successful) outlier - as 5'10 5/8" Russell Wilson would be as a quarterback in the NFL - work ethic and study habits become extremely important. It's clear that athletic prowess alone probably cannot make the difference for Wilson, who will try and become the only sub-six-foot quarterback in the NFL's current era that achieves sustained success. There have been a six-footer here and there that breaks the mold - Michael Vick and his transcendent and unequaled athleticism and ridiculously strong arm, and Drew Brees with his masterful footwork in the pocket to go with his elite accuracy. Wilson isn't hoping his physical ability alone can help him break the "NFL QB" mold. He's hoping an uncommon, unrivaled work ethic can.
Per Dan Pompei's NFP Sunday Blitz column, Pompei notes that "Russell Wilson was not handed the Seahawks starting job. I'm told in July he often was the only football person at the Seahawks facility, as he showed up every day at 6:30 a.m. to watch tape. Wilson has a little Peyton Manning in him. In fact, he consulted with Manning before the draft, as well as Eli Manning, Drew Brees and Philip Rivers. Wilson also visited with Colts quarterback coach Clyde Christensen, who previously coached Peyton Manning. Christensen shared Peyton's notes with Wilson, and they were similar to the kind of notes Wilson takes. Wilson keeps a diary of every practice on an Excel worksheet."
This goes right along with something that Pete Carroll said back in July when he said that Wilson was 'outworking everyone in the program.' Wilson will need to know every opposing defense's weakness, their starters and backups, their strategic tendencies based on personnel groups, their bad habits, and their strengths. Not only that, he tracks his own play very closely, tweaking and improving and setting new goals to eliminate mistakes. He's a worker.
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