Russell Wilson has scrambled his way into a top-10 ranking

While the debate of whether or not read-option quarterbacks will last in the NFL rages on, Seattle Seahawks’ quarterback Russell Wilson is the pinnacle of this family of quarterbacks and his stats through the air and on the ground show why he deserves to be considered a top-10 quarterback in the NFL.

Although Wilson is considered an elite quarterback, he is not the best in the NFL. Practically every top-10 list is headlined by New England Patriots’ Tom Brady, Denver Broncos’ Peyton Manning and Green Bay Packers’ Aaron Rodgers. Even though Wilson may not make the top-five, he does make the top-ten overall.

The quarterback position has evolved within the past couple of years. Teams are starting to realize how powerful having a quarterback that can move really is. Wilson is a perfect example of this.

Russell Wilson ranked 15th in total passing yards with 3,475 yards and a touchdown to interception ratio of 20 to 7, according to ESPN.com. The only other starting quarterback that has played a full season ranked ahead of him is Aaron Rodgers, who only threw five during the regular season.

Where Wilson really shines and what puts him on the top-10 list is his effect on the run-game. Not only did Wilson lead all quarterbacks in rushing yards with 849, that season total put him 16th among all players in 2014. The next closest quarterback to Wilson’s rushing stats was 49’ers’ quarterback Colin Kaepernick with 639 yards.

However, some of the biggest reasons why Wilson is a top ten quarterback cannot be found on a stat sheet. One reason is his ability to escape pressure and make plays. Even though he was sacked 42 times in the 2014 regular season, that is not necessarily his fault. Most of the season, the Seahawks were missing key pieces on their offensive line. That made Wilson more susceptible to getting sacked. Although he got sacked a number of times, he was able to escape in order to make stellar plays.

The Seahawks are known for not having any top receivers on their team, yet they still find ways to win games. The leading receiver on the team this year was Doug Baldwin, who ranked 42nd overall in the NFL with 825 receiving yards. Wilson is able to get yards through the air without weapons like other top quarterbacks have.

Russell Wilson has to work harder for his yards and is able to get yards in ways that other elite quarterbacks can’t. His unique skill set and his ability to work with bad circumstances solidifies him as a top-10 quarterback in the NFL.