Shanahan says Washington planned to draft Wilson in '12

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San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan shared on the Rich Eisen Show recently that the Washington Football Team came close to drafting quarterback Russell Wilson back in the 2012 NFL Draft. 

While discussing the 49ers moves in this year's draft, Shanahan recounted a story from the 2012 Draft back when he was offensive coordinator for Washington, and his father Mike Shanahan was the head coach. 

“I remember we were taking RGIII, Kirk was the guy I had ranked as the higher guy,” Kyle Shanahan said. “Before we made that trade, I wanted to take him in the second round. My dad loved Russell Wilson and he planned on taking Russell in the fourth.”

Shanahan referenced the trade Washington made with the Rams in order to draft Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Robert Griffin III with the second overall pick. But Shanahan maintained that they still had their eyes on Wilson.

“When we took Robert, he [Mike] told me all along if Russell Wilson was there in the fourth — he was going to take him. And then Russell, I don't know if he went in the third or the fourth, but he went before. So I thought that was gone,” Shanahan said.

“So we’re sitting there on the clock. My dad goes ‘I’m gonna take Cousins.’ I was like ‘Dad, why the hell are you taking Cousins we’re going this direction.’ He said ‘You had him ranked so high and we love him as a player and Russell’s not there’. I was like ‘Hey I’m not gonna say no to that, go ahead and take him.’ He ended up being a good decision, but you don’t always get to come out and explain exactly why you did it.”

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