2012 NFL Draft: Andrew Luck Enters Awful Situation for Rookie Superstar

Andrew Luck may need to sweep up around him considering all the fingernails he has no doubt chewed off. The pressure for a No. 1 overall selection is immense, but it pales in comparison to what Luck will face as the Colts' new man under center. 

On Wednesday, the Indianapolis Colts and Peyton Manning officially parted ways, and it proved emotional for even the most hardened football fan. 

For every marquee prospect in the draft, there is some level of hope attributed to the selection. The fans want to believe that things will be better for the team having drafted him. 

For the No. 1 overall selection, the obvious note is he is going to the worst team, and all events that took place before that moment were so god-awful that they can only go up. 

That player is hardly ever asked to step in an be something he is not, but that isn't the case here. There is nothing ordinary about the Colts' current situation, and that includes who they will most likely take in the draft, and the pressure that will welcome him. 

Instead of coming in to be the answer to the worst team in football, Luck will come in with millions hoping he can be the next Peyton Manning. 

Such expectations are lofty and unrealistic, but it doens't mean they don't exist. What's more, the Colts are more than just one young quarterback away from mattering as a playoff contender. 

You can also expect more marquee players to leave, perhaps even the fan favorite Reggie Wayne. Mike Chappell of Indianapolis Star reports Wayne is yet to hear from the team. 

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Wayne doesn't see a scenario in which he's part of the Colts' rebuilding process. First, someone with the team has to at least acknowledge his existence.

"Nothing. I have not heard a word," Wayne said, the exasperation in his voice evident. "Not a phone call, not a text message, not a note from a pigeon. Nothing. That tells me it's been real, but things happen and teams move on."

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Luck will enter the 2012 season as the presumptive starter and heir apparent to no less than an Indianapolis god. 

Manning was no king of the gridiron from day one. As Chappell recalls, Manning had 14 interceptions in his first six starts and then notched an NFL rookie-record 28 by the end of the season.

These things take time, but it's hard to lend some when you see a Hall of Fame player leave the building. 

Luck enters the fray as the successor to an icon, a follow-up to the man that built Lucas Oil Stadium. It would be like putting on Babe Ruth's over-sized baseball pants and having the Yankees faithful believe you can park just like the ol' man did. 

It's unfair and not the least bit right, but it's what faces Luck as a mere amateur and he will need to grow in a hurry. Not only will Luck be measured by the memory of Manning's past glory, but by the numbers he puts up with whichever team lands him next. 

Andrew Luck is the best quarterback in the draft, but he will also come in with the most to prove. 

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