A 25-4 record as a collegiate starter, JaMarcus Russell completed 61.9 percent of his passes and threw 52 touchdown passes at LSU.
Russell, 6-foot-5, 265-pounds, is a menacing presence and is built more like a linebacker than a quarterback. The two-year starter has shown consistent improvement since wrestling the starting job away from Matt Flynn at LSU.
He is just the third player in Tiger annals to throw for over 6,000 yards in a career and the first to lead LSU to at least ten victories in consecutive seasons. He also proved to be a heroic passer, as he rallied the team late in the fourth quarter or during overtime to eight victories during his 36 games in an LSU uniform.
Considered a bit raw but blessed with a strong arm and solid decision-maker, Russell’s size makes him near impossible to bring down. He does not have superb speed but can shake off defenders and make the tough throw.
Russell immediately becomes the number two quarterback on the depth chart behind Andrew Walter and the Raiders expect him to be the starter before the year is out.