JaMarcus Russell: If Only He Was…

JaMarcus Russell is the biggest bust in NFL history. Not exactly a bold statement by any means, but it comes with a certain sadness to declare that.

Many fans in East Bay hate the man whom Mel Kiper promised would become a top five NFL quarterback on draft day.

I don't hate him.

But I think he will eventually hate himself. 

This article isn't designed to be an in-depth biography of his tenure in Oakland. But I will touch on some of the main points.

Russell didn't have it easy. Oakland was coming off one of the worst seasons in franchise history. There was a coaching change twice in his young career.

However, it's not as if Russell was an innocent child coming into the situation.

JaMarcus Russell was/is arguably the most physically talented quarterback to ever live, yet he self destructed before he came into the league.

Recent allegations have been made public Russell's syrup codeine use. I haven't done much research on codeine use, but I don't think it helps a person concentrate. Russell also admitted he failed a drug test in 2007 for that drug.

Make no mistake, I'm not making any excuses for Russell. Even if he hadn't used the drug, he still would have been a bust.



Russell had absolutely no intangibles coming into the league. It's not as if he carried his team to the Sugar Bowl in 2006.

Russell was one of five LSU Tigers selected in the first round of the 2007 draft. Ironically, all of them have been disappointments.

But going back to the main premise of this article, the former number one overall pick should hate himself for what he did to his career.

JaMarcus Russell wasted his career by becoming an overweight slacker that didn't care a lick about football.

That was shown in bold letters when he finally signed his deal week two of the 2007 season.

If you...

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