The 2012 NFL Draft was chock full of memorable moments.
Namely, that draft highlighted a number of quarterbacks that have made their marks as pros.
Other quarterbacks of the ’12 class did not fare so well.
Specifically, Brandon Weeden to the Browns and Brock Osweiler to the Broncos come to mind.
Among the notable names, former Colt Andrew Luck and Robert Griffin III were drafted numbers one and two.
Current Tennessee quarterback Ryan Tannehill went number eight to Miami.
Both Russell Wilson and Nick Foles were drafted in the third round that year.
The Redskins double dipped in the quarterback pool and took Kirk Cousins in the fourth.
Wilson to the Colts?
Interestingly enough, the fourth round was nearly notable for a second team that would have double dipped.
On Sunday, Colts owner Jim Irsay revealed that the team planned to draft Wilson in the fourth round.
Irsay told Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio that the Colts would have grabbed Wilson with the 97th pick.
Jim Irsay claims the Colts were ready to follow the selection of Andrew Luck with first pick in 2012 by taking Russell Wilson in round four https://t.co/5KjRWajrUN
— ProFootballTalk (@ProFootballTalk) February 23, 2020
The Seattle Seahawks had other plans, however.
They took the seven-time Pro Bowler with the 75th pick of the third round.
The rest, as they say, is history.
Although it’s interesting to wonder if the two signal-callers could have co-existed.
What Might Have Been?
Even if Wilson had not been drafted by the Seahawks, other teams were interested in him.
There is no guarantee that he would have still been on the board at the 97th pick. Indy traded up to the 92nd pick to get receiver T.Y. Hilton.
Needless to say, that ended up being a wise move.
However, one can only imagine if things had played out.
What would the quarterback competition have been like in pre-season camp?
Would Wilson have been content sitting behind Luck?
Chances are good that if the competition between the two had been even, the team probably goes with Luck.
After all, it’s doubtful that the team would have been comfortable with a $22 million quarterback as a back-up.
Given that NFL rookie contracts are usually four years, would Wilson have lasted that long on the bench?
Things Worked Out for the Best
Even with Luck’s shocking retirement due to injuries before last season, Wilson would have been long gone.
His rookie deal would have expired in 2015 at the earliest and, most likely, he would have been traded.
Despite Luck’s injury woes, both he and Wilson quickly made their mark in the NFL.
Both were chosen for the Pro Bowl after their rookie years.
Wilson started in the Super Bowl after his second and third seasons, winning it in 2013.
Luck led the Colts to the playoffs four times, including the 2014 AFC Championship game.
Luck and Wilson have been leaders of their teams on the field and football ambassadors away from the field.
It’s difficult to imagine the NFL without the contribution each man brought to the game.
Though it’s fun to imagine what might have been, fate ultimately was right on the money.
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