JaMarcus Russell, the big-play quarterback from LSU, was the first pick in the 2007 NFL draft as the Oakland Raiders pulled no surprises.

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Russell played at Lillie B. Williamson High School in Mobile, Alabama where he was coached by Bobby Parrish. Russell became the all-time passing leader in Alabama high school history as he threw for 10,744 yards in his career, eclipsing the mark set by former University of Alabama and current Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Brodie Croyle. He also is ranked as the fifth all-time career rusher in Alabama high school history with 7,362 yards[1]. As a senior in 2002, Russell connected on 219-of-372 passes for 3,332 yards and 22 touchdowns. He was named Alabama's Mr. Football and SuperPrep Dixie Offensive Player of the Year. He was named also to the Parade All-America Team. Further he was nominated to the SuperPrep All-America Team, FSN South's Countdown to Signing Day All-South First Team, Atlanta Journal-Constitution Super Southern 100 and the Orlando Sentinel All-Southern team.

As a consensus top five national pro-style quarterback in every major recruiting publication in the 2003 recruiting class. Russell had numerous scholarship offers. He chose Louisiana State University over Florida State on National Signing Day.

LSU
Russell was redshirted during the 2003 season, when quarterback Matt Mauck led LSU to the BCS National Championship. In 2004, he split time with senior quarterback Marcus Randall, playing in 11 games and starting 4. He completed just over 50 percent of his passes for 1,053 yards, throwing for 9 touchdowns and 4 interceptions.

In the Capital One Bowl against the Iowa Hawkeyes, Russell came off the bench to lead LSU to two fourth-quarter scoring drives, allowing the Tigers to erase a 12 point deficit. However, on the final play of the game, Iowa quarterback Drew Tate completed a touchdown pass to Warren Holloway to beat the Tigers 30-25.

By the fall 2005 season, Russell was the undisputed starting quarterback for LSU. He led LSU to a 10-1 regular season record, the SEC Western Division title, and a top-5 ranking going into the SEC Championship Game. He also improved statistically, completing 60 percent of his passes for 2,443 yards and 15 touchdowns. Russell received an honorable mention on the AP's All-SEC Team.

Russell led the Tigers to two dramatic come-from-behind wins in the regular season. The first came on a 39 yard pass to Early Doucet on 4th down in the final minute of the game, as the Tigers defeated Arizona State 35-31. Later in the season, LSU defeated a then-undefeated Alabama team 16-13 when Russell completed a 14 yard touchdown to Dwayne Bowe in overtime for the win.

Russell injured his shoulder in a loss to Georgia in the SEC Championship Game, and missed the team's bowl game. Backup quarterback Matt Flynn replaced Russell for the Peach Bowl against Miami, and the Tigers won the game 40-3.

In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, Russell housed around a dozen evacuees who had fled the flooding in New Orleans, including New Orleans singer Fats Domino, in his off-campus apartment

Russell was the starting quarterback again at LSU in 2006, beating out backup Matt Flynn and highly-touted redshirt freshman Ryan Perrilloux. He had a productive 2006 regular season, leading the Tigers to a 10-2 record and a BCS Sugar Bowl berth. He threw for 2,797 yards, 26 touchdowns and 7 interceptions. He was also second in the SEC with 2,923 yards from scrimmage. He also won the SEC Offensive Player Of the Week award three times during the regular season.

A memorable performance of the 2006 season came against Tennessee. In spite of throwing three interceptions (including one returned for a touchdown), he led LSU on a come-from-behind, 15-play, 80-yard drive in the final minutes of the game. The drive ended with a four-yard touchdown pass to Early Doucet with less than 10 seconds left in the game, and the Tigers defeated Tennessee 28-24. Earlier in the drive, Russell and Doucet also connected for a first down on a 4th and 8 situation. In the final game of his junior year, the Allstate Sugar Bowl, Russell accumulated over 350 yards of passing and rushing and scored 3 TDs, leading to the Tigers 41-14 win over Notre Dame. He was also named the Sugar Bowl's MVP.

At the end of the 2006 season, Russell was named to the all-SEC first team, ahead of Kentucky's Andre Woodson and Florida's Chris Leak. In addition, he was named an honorable mention All-American by Sports Illustrated.

Silver and Black
On January 10, 2007, Russell stated that he had decided to skip his final season of NCAA eligibility with LSU and enter the 2007 NFL Draft, where he was picked by the Oakland Raiders as the 1st overall draft pick.

Russell was one of four LSU players taken in the first round, along with Safety Laron Landry, and wide receivers Dwayne Bowe and Craig Davis.

Failing to reach a contract agreement with the Raiders, Russell held out through training camp and the first weeks of the 2007 NFL season, until September 12, 2007, when he signed a six-year contract worth up to $68 million, a league rookie record, and with $31.5 million guaranteed.

Raiders head coach Lane Kiffin did not immediately name Russell a starter, saying, "That way we can really control what he is doing, play for this set amount of time for this many plays. He doesn't have to have everything mastered," noting that Russell had missed all of training camp and other quarterbacks, like David Carr, should have been brought along more slowly.

Russell made his first professional appearance on December 2, 2007 against the Denver Broncos. Coming into the game in the second quarter in relief of starter Josh McCown. Russell played two series, and completed 4 of 7 pass attempts for 56 yards.[8]

On December 23, 2007 against the Jacksonville Jaguars, Russell threw his first career touchdown pass, a 2-yard pass to Zach Miller. He finished the game with seven completions on 23 pass attempts for 83 yards, with one touchdown pass, three interceptions and a lost fumble.

Russell made his first career start in the final game of the season against the San Diego Chargers. He completed 23 of 31 passes for 234 yards with a touchdown on a 34-yard pass to Jerry Porter, and the first pass he threw -an attempted screen pass- was intercepted by DT Igor Olshansky.

Russell finished his rookie season with 36 completed passes on 66 attempts, 373 yards, two touchdowns and four interceptions. After the San Diego game, Kiffin named Russell Oakland Raiders starting quarterback for the 2008 season

Jamarcus Russell Season Highs

Attempts: 41 vs. Florida
Completions: 24 twice
Yards: 332 vs. Notre Dame
Touchdowns: 3, five times

Jamarcus Russell Career Highs

Attempts: 41 vs. Florida, 2006
Completions: 24 (twice)
Yards: 332 vs. Notre Dame, 2006
Touchdowns: 3, five times