Pro Football Focus recently compiled a list of every team’s best performing rookie dating back to 2006. For the Seattle Seahawks, that player is former franchise quarterback Russell Wilson. The Seahawks selected Wilson with a third-round pick in 2012.
It would be nice if a Seahawks rookie from the 2025 class finally dethroned Wilson.
“When ranking rookie quarterbacks in the PFF era, Russell Wilson is at the top,” Ryan Smith wrote. “The 2012 third-round pick finished his first season in Seattle with a 90.6 PFF overall grade, second best among 37 qualifying quarterbacks. Wilson made incredible throws without putting the ball in danger, evidenced by his 36 big-time throws and just 10 turnover-worthy plays for the season.”
To be fair, as PFF notes, Wilson is at the very top of QB rankings in the PFF era. Wilson was electric for the Seahawks as a rookie in 2012, starting all 16 regular-season games. The former NC State and Wisconsin standout threw for 3,118 yards and 26 touchdowns and just 10 interceptions while completing 64.1 percent of his passing attempts.
Wilson was named Seattle’s starting quarterback as a rookie after competing with Matt Flynn and Tarvaris Jackson. Wilson concluded his rookie campaign ranked fourth in the league in passer rating (100.0). His 26 TD passes tied Peyton Manning’s at-the-time record for most touchdowns thrown by a rookie.
Wilson’s rookie campaign in Seattle was truly special. The rest is history, as the Seahawks and Wilson would enjoy terrific success together. No Seahawks rookie has managed to match that impact since.