2012 NFL Draft: Andrew Luck Will Struggle in His Rookie Year

Thursday, April 26, 2012, will be one of the worst days in Andrew Luck's life.

It is the day he leaves the cushy bosom of Palo Alto for Indianapolis. It is the day he leaves one of the most professionally-run college programs for one of the most amateur professional outfits.

Luck is trading world-class professors and one of the most beautiful places on earth for a generic, Midwestern metropolis and some old dude with a goatee who tweets a lot.

That alone has to be somewhat depressing for the soon to be No. 1 pick. Factor in how awful the Colts are from top to bottom and Luck's situation goes from mildly depressing to soul-crushing.

Everyone is fully aware of Peyton Manning's trials and tribulations during his first season with the Colts. That was with an offense that had some talent.

Marshall Faulk, Tarik Glenn, Jerome Pathon and Ken Dilger at their present age would be significant upgrades from what Indianapolis has now at the skill positions.

It could be argued that Luck will be the Colts' best quarterback, running back and wide receiver next season. That is probably not a good thing.

The team will add some pieces in the draft and might get a short-term solution or two via free agency, but that does not hide the fact that Luck is in for a really long season.

This, of course, is no fault of his own. Jim Irsay and company need to be held firmly accountable for letting the Colts fall into such disarray.

Nonetheless, Luck is the person who will have to bear the brunt of Irsay's mismanagement. At least the Colts retained Reggie Wayne. Without him, their offensive roster may have been one of the worst in NFL history.

Luck is in a really bad position. The best he and the horseshoes can expect this season is to struggle. If he can lead this team to six wins, it would be nothing short of a miracle.

Indianapolis' season could easily be a disaster—again. It would not be surprising for the Colts to have back-to-back No. 1 picks. It may be another terrible season, but at least fans have that nice, new stadium to go to.

Luck's probable struggles in 2012 should in no way be an indictment of him or his pro prospects. A good quarterback needs to be cerebral and nuanced. He will make a ton of mistakes this season and learn from them.

His struggles may even be a blessing in disguise. A team with talent can often times hide a quarterback's mistakes. The Colts have no talent, so that will not be a problem.

No one is doubting Luck has the talent to be one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL, but it is the intangibles that make good quarterbacks great.

His struggles this season will only help him and the team in the future. He will learn the game this season without having to worry about winning. The Colts will land another high draft pick and be able to build a competitive team around their franchise quarterback.

That is, of course, if Luck is not completely put off by football after a season of consistent losing, constant punishment and frequent tweeting from a meddling owner.