Stanford quarterback earns praise from Manning, scout

From last Thursday through Sunday, some of the nation's best high school football players convened in Louisiana with Peyton, Eli and Archie Manning for the Manning Passing Academy.

Also featured at the camp are some of the best quarterbacks in college football. In attendance were Andy Dalton (TCU), Jerrod Johnson (Texas A&M), Case Keenum (Houston), Greg McElroy (Alabama), Kellen Moore (Boise State) and Christian Ponder (Florida State). But there was one college signal caller who earned considerable praise – Stanford redshirt sophomore Andrew Luck.

Talking to Mike Detillier of HoumaToday.com, an NFC East scout said he would start an NFL team with Luck over this year's first overall pick Sam Bradford.

"Andrew does not have the arm strength that Carson Palmer had at USC, but he is a more accurate passer," the scout said. "His ability to read and recognize coverages are remarkable for someone with very little college starting experience. Luck looks like a taller version of Drew Brees."

Archie Manning came away impressed with Luck's progress since high school, saying he has a chance to be "a real special football player."

"Andrew is a very talented young man," Manning told the newspaper. "He is so accurate with his throws. He has good passing techniques, and he is so smart throwing the ball down field. That is such a huge element of playing the position. Andrew can make all the throws necessary to be a really top-flight quarterback in college and in the pros."

Luck has said he wants to earn his college degree before going pro.