If RW played at a major program...

[vanillasuede]

No because Wisconsin is considered a major program and one could argue more major than Stanford.

 

[HawkWow]

If Russ had played in a bigger program in a major conference, do you think he'd have been drafted earlier? Manziel was just drafted in the first round. Obviously Russell's success has helped Johnny; I doubt he'd have gone in the 1st if Russ hadn't blazed the trail for shorter guys. Still, Johnny also played in the SEC, which made him much more public. So would Russell have gone sooner? Perhaps in the second round?

Sure am glad we got him when we did.

Regardless of where they place or the bowls they play, Wisconsin is (and always will be) overshadowed by OSU and Big Blue, so yours is an honest error, IMO, OP. In reality, the Big 12 is every bit as talented as our Pac 12. If not more so. But speaking of the SEC, Wisconsin is a team that would probably do as well in the SEC as they do in the Big 12...and perhaps better. Totally committed to corn fed, big butted O-linemen, ball control and a solid running game. They're the Bama of the Big 12. Barry Alvarez was / is all about SEC style power football. If Russ would have had more success anywhere else, it would have been here in the Pac, IMO.

 

[Seanhawk]

Wisconsin is in the Big 10, not Big 12.

 

[Perfundle]

If Russ had played in a bigger program in a major conference, do you think he'd have been drafted earlier? Manziel was just drafted in the first round. Obviously Russell's success has helped Johnny; I doubt he'd have gone in the 1st if Russ hadn't blazed the trail for shorter guys. Still, Johnny also played in the SEC, which made him much more public. So would Russell have gone sooner? Perhaps in the second round?

Sure am glad we got him when we did.

Plenty of people have pointed out that Wilson did play in major conferences, but I will also say that Manziel was so well-known because of his exciting playing style, not because he played in the SEC. McCarron played in the SEC too, and won two BCS championships and a Championship Offensive MVP, but nobody cares about him.

 

[Subzero717]

He got drafted in the 3rd because of his height. Kiper even said if he was 6'3" he would be the third pick in the draft. Wilsons success probably helped Johnny go higher along with Johnnys play itself.