JaMarcus Russell

JaMarcus Trenell Russell (born August 9, 1985) is an American former football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for three seasons with the Oakland Raiders. He played college football at Louisiana State University, winning the Manning Award as a junior en route to becoming MVP of the 2007 Sugar Bowl. Russell was selected first overall by the Raiders in the 2007 NFL Draft, but his tenure would be marked by inconsistent play and questions over his work ethic. He would be released from Oakland in 2010 and, despite attempts at returning to the NFL, was unable to sign with another team. Due to not meeting the expectations of being the first pick and the short length of his career, he is considered one of the NFL's biggest draft busts. Early life Russell was born in Mobile, Alabama, and attended Lillie B. Williamson High School. For all four years under head coach Bobby Parrish, he started and never missed a football game. In his freshman year, Russell completed 180 of 324 passes for 2,683 yards and 20 touchdowns as Williamson reached the state championship game. By the next season, Russell had grown to six-foot-three and 185 pounds, had received his first recruiting letters, and was becoming more adept with the playbook. Russell passed for 2,616 yards and 20 touchdowns during his sophomore year and led the team to the semifinals. Russell's best season was his senior year; he completed 219 of 372 passes for 3,332 yards and 22 touchdowns and rushed for another 400 yards and five touchdowns. This earned Russell Parade magazine All-American honorable mention honors. His 10,774 career passing yards broke the Alabama High School Athletic Association record and still stands today. Russell was at the center of an ESPN Outside the Lines story on high school sports in Mobile. He also played basketball and threw the javelin in track and field.