Andrew Luck NFL Draft prospect notes

Andrew Luck
6'4, 235 pounds | Quarterback | Stanford

First word: Without question, Stanford junior quarterback Andrew Luck is the highly regard NFL Draft prospect in years. He's not only the talk of draftniks, but NFL personnel men. John Elway, Broncos executive vice president of football operations, raved about Luck earlier this year.

"I'll tell you this, I think Andrew Luck is the best football player in the draft, without a doubt," Elway said about Luck. "If that were to happen, then you're going have to have some very serious conversations of exactly which direction you want to go, whether it's with Tim (Tebow) or take a guy like Andrew Luck. To me, barring injury, he's going to be very successful in the NFL."

What will make Luck successful in the NFL is his combination of natural ability, size and football intelligence. While none of the traits he possesses are rare, few quarterbacks of his age have Luck's combination of skills.

Bold statement: If his offensive line in the NFL doesn't get him killed, Andrew Luck will be a Hall of Fame player.

Games viewed: (All 2010) Notre Dame, Oregon, USC, Washington, Arizona, California, Virginia Tech

Andrew Luck
6'4, 235 pounds | Quarterback | Stanford

Notes:

• Although Luck may not have elite arm strength like, say, Matthew Stafford, he has a really good arm. Still, he's disciplined in his passing. Luck shows good touch and timing on screens, swings and underneath routes where he ha to take some zip off.

• Maintains his accuracy when asked to drop quick and fit the ball into a tight window. This is especially noticeable on Luck's deep ball. He routinely puts the ball on the outside shoulder away from the defender.

• Accuracy drops when Lucks gets out on the run, especially to his right. His ball will float or flutter when he doesn't get his feet set.

• Knows how to set up and then pick apart coverages – see the Orange Bowl against Virginia Tech last season. Unlike most college quarterbacks, Luck can quickly read a defense and go through his progressions.

• Displays pro-ready poise in the pocket to step up around pressure and deliver a good throw. Has good vision to see or sense backside pressure.

• Has been the beneficiary of playing behind a really good offensive line, so he's kind of unproven in the face of constant pressure.

• Needs to learn how to protect his body better when he pulls the ball down and runs with it. Has a tendency to keep upright and take on defenders.

Note: We're going to have in-depth analysis on Andrew Luck leading up to the start of the college football season, breaking down every area of his game.