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The countdown begins and our top prospect in college football is... Quarterback Andrew Luck, Stanford (Red-Shirt Sophomore):
Cons: The biggest issue with Luck is his awkward throwing motion. He has a windup that causes him to drop the ball below his waist before he throws it which, unlike Tim Tebow’s, doesn’t appear to add momentum to Luck’s passes. In many ways the windup is separate from his actual throwing motion; Luck simply has to learn to cock the ball and throw. He was injured towards the end of the Cardinal’s season and will have to prove he is healthy—surgery on an injured finger in his throwing hand forced the quarterback to sit out the Sun Bowl. Luck also has to do a better job of going through his progressions before running or locking onto a single receiver. While the Stanford man had incredible moments during his red-shirt freshman year, he still needs to be more consistent. Luck’s release point is a bit to the side even under the best of circumstances. Our View: An incredible quarterback prospect, Luck has noticeable but easily correctable flaws. The Cardinal comes from an impressive pedigree—his father Oliver was an NFL quarterback with the Houston Oilers from 1983 to 1986. Luck’s positives outweigh his negatives to the point where NFL types are already drooling over his potential despite the fact he has three years of eligibility remaining heading into the 2010 campaign. He has everything necessary to develop into an elite NFL quarterback. Given that Luck’s flaws can be corrected with playing experience and coaching, he’ll be under the gun to show marked improvement during his sophomore year. His progress will go a long way in deciding whether he declares for the 2011 NFL Draft or remains in school for his junior season. With Heisman Trophy runner-up Toby Gerhart moving on to the league where they play for pay, Luck must also prove he can handle being the focal point of the Cardinal offense. He has the ability to challenge Washington senior quarterback Jake Locker for Pac-10 Player of the Year honors as well as the honor of being the top overall pick in the NFL Draft next April. Players Profiled To Date: 1. Andrew Luck, Quarterback, Stanford 2. Jake Locker, Quarterback, Washington 3. A.J. Green, Wide Receiver, Georgia 4. Marcel Dareus, Defensive Lineman, Alabama 5. Patrick Peterson, Cornerback, LSU 6. Robert Quinn, Defensive End, North Carolina 7. Cameron Heyward, Defensive End, Ohio State 8. Ryan Williams, Running Back, Virginia Tech 9. Adrian Clayborn, Defensive End, Iowa 10. Mark Ingram, Running Back, Alabama 11. Anthony Castonzo, Offensive Tackle, Boston College 12. Julio Jones, Wide Receiver, Alabama 13. Allen Bailey, Defensive Lineman, Miami 14. Greg Romeus, Defensive End, Pittsburgh 15. Prince Amukamara, Cornerback, Nebraska 16. Gabe Carimi, Offensive Tackle, Wisconsin 17. Ryan Mallett, Quarterback, Arkansas 18. Marvin Austin, Defensive Tackle, North Carolina 19. Michael Floyd, Wide Receiver, Notre Dame 20. Bruce Carter, Outside Linebacker, North Carolina 21. Aaron Williams, Cornerback, Texas 22. DeAndre McDaniel, Safety, Clemson 23. Stephen Paea, Defensive Tackle, Oregon State 24. Jonathan Baldwin, Wide Receiver, Pittsburgh 25. Matt Reynolds, Offensive Tackle, BYU 26. Jurrell Casey, Defensive Tackle, USC 27. Ras-I Dowling, Cornerback, Virginia 28. Akeem Ayers, Outside Linebacker UCLA 29. Nate Solder, Offensive Tackle, Colorado 30. Rahim Moore, Free Safety, UCLA 31. Da'Quan Bowers, Defensive End, Clemson 32. Quan Sturdivant, Outside Linebacker, North Carolina * * * * * Available Now: Get your copy of the 2010 Post-Draft Recap & Rookie Fantasy Football Analysis right here. Coming Soon: The 2011 NFL Draft Bible Prospectus, featuring the stars of tomorrow! Photo Courtesy of David Gonzales, Stanford Athletics 
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Pros: What stands out immediately about Luck is that he has one of the quickest throwing motions since Dan Marino. When Luck lets it fly his passes are laser fast and accurate—truly beautiful. Aside from that, Luck has quintessential NFL measurables; he is 6’4” and 230-plus pounds, very intelligent and instinctual. The red-shirt sophomore has wonderful footwork in his drop backs and when throwing the football. Luck has light and graceful feet that give him unexpected mobility, allowing him to almost glide through the pocket to avoid would-be sackers (he was sacked only six times in 2009). At Stanford, he is currently playing in a pro-style offense and getting pro-style coaching under Head Coach and former NFL quarterback Jim Harbaugh. That gives him a leg up on prospects that play in spread offenses with everything called from the sideline. Luck also has “it”, the ability to play well in big games and in big moments, which is a must for NFL quarterbacks. In other words, Luck does not just feast on weak Pac-10 opponents; he saves his best for the likes of USC and Oregon. Luck has a very strong arm, he is not all release; he can easily drive the ball down the field and has little trouble fitting the ball into tight windows. Not only did the Stanford signal caller put up some impressive numbers (13 touchdown passes, four interceptions), including leading the Pac-10 in passing efficiency (143.47), he won games (eight) and directed the Cardinal to their first winning season since 2001. The Texas boy also has the intangibles. The high school valedictorian is one of the brightest student athletes in the nation and despite his youth, Luck displayed leadership skills from day one, which he backs up with work ethic and toughness.