By Ryan Tannehill Doesn’t Think He Can Be Compared to JaMarcus Russell
April 20, 2012 – 7:20 am by Chris Fedor
Every year prior to the NFL Draft, players rise and fall in the eyes of the media. No player’s stock has risen this year quite like that of Texas A & M quarterback Ryan Tannehill. While it’s not surprising given the demand of the position, he never looked the part of a potential top ten pick in the draft during his lone full season as the starting quarterback of the Aggies. There’s no doubt that he has the size, arm strength and upside that make scouts salivate, but he also made more starts at wide receiver than quarterback in college and his team underachieved while he was running the offense.
In time he may be a good quarterback, but the only real explanation for his perceived rise is that in a draft where the top two picks are decided with Andrew Luck going to Indianapolis and Robert Griffin III going to Washington, Tannehill has turned into “last call girl” at the bar. With the options remaining at a position of high demand his flaws don’t look nearly as bad as they once did.
Ryan Tannehill joined ESPN Radio New York with Ryan Ruocco and Robin Lundberg to talk about where he would like to play if he was given the choice, if Texas A&M beating Baylor means that he is better than Robert Griffin III, what he makes of people using JaMarcus Russell comparisons, if there is any fear about sliding down in the NFL Draft and waiting in the green room, and how big of a deal it is that he has only started 19 games.
On where he would like to play if he was given the choice:
“I have no idea. There’s so many good organizations out there and I’m just blessed to have the opportunity to play for one of them.”
If Texas A & M beating Baylor means that he is better than RG3:
“(Laughing) It’s not quarterback versus quarterback, it’s team versus team so I definitely don’t think you can take the head-to-head matchup and say that is a defining factor but it was one of our better games as an offense.”
What he makes of the comparison to JaMarcus Russell that people have used:
“It doesn’t bother me. Everybody is entitled to their own opinion. I’m confident in who I am and who I am as a quarterback so he can say whatever he wants, I just know I’m going to go out and work, get better every day, and at the end of the day I don’t believe I can be compared to him at all.”
If he is scared of sliding on draft day in being stuck in the green room like Aaron Rodgers and Brady Quinn:
“It’s not a fear at all. I’m just happy to be in New York, happy to have the opportunity to walk across that stage and whatever time my name gets called I’m excited for the opportunity to play for that team.”
Whether his inexperience is a problem:
“Yeah I’ve only started 19 games as a QB so I’m still learning the quarterback position and I have a high ceiling. I’ve only started 19 games so these guys that have played 40’s, high 30’s in games in their career they’re basically a year or two years ahead of me so I think that proved myself in those 19 games but I have a high ceiling and I’m going to continue to get better.”
Listen to Ryan Tannehill on ESPN Radio in New York here
Tags: 2012 NFL Draft, College Football, ESPN Radio New York, NFL, Ryan Tannehill, Texas A & M Aggies
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