Doug Pederson: Same Feeling Evaluating Carson Wentz As Russell Wilson
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Carson Wentz has drawn comparisons to his idol Brett Favre, beaten future Hall Of Famer Ben Roethlisberger, and broken a record of Tom Brady's (102 pass attempts to start career without an interception), arguably the game's greatest signal caller ever.
Now, his own coach admits the 23-year-old rookie reminded him of Super Bowl champion QB Russell Wilson during the evaluation process a few months ago.
Related: Steelers DE: Carson Wentz 'Played Like A Freakin' Hall Of Famer'
"When I worked out Russell Wilson from Wisconsin way back when, I came away from that work out going this kid is going to be special in the National Football League and we've seen what he's been doing in his career," Doug Pederson told Angelo Cataldi and the 94WIP Morning Show on Monday.
"You just get that feeling," he said of Wentz. "You just get the knack. I didn't put a lot of weight into small, big school, not playing top of the line competition. I didn't put a lot of weight into that. I put more weight into this guy's a winner, he knows how to win, he makes plays, it shows up on field. And I felt comfortable in the coaching staff, offensively, that we could develop this kid hopefully in a year or so into a good quarterback. And obviously that has been fast-forwarded into now."
Listen: Doug Pederson on the 94WIP Morning Show
In 2012, Pederson was the quarterback's coach for the Philadelphia Eagles under Andy Reid. At the time, they needed a quarterback and selected Nick Foles 13 picks after Wilson in round three of that year's draft.
Recently, Pederson admitted he still regrets not drafting Wilson.
"He had a hand injury his senior year so he missed seven, eight games," Pederson said of Wentz when asked why other teams, like the Cleveland Browns, passed on him. "So there's not a lot of tape there. I don't know, I don't know. I went back and actually watched a YouTube video of his high school days and watched him make those same plays in high school. I just knew there was something there."
Cataldi's response?
"Good judgement."
