2012 NFL Draft Order: Why Andrew Luck, No. 1 Pick is Worth King's Ransom

The No. 1 overall pick in the 2012 draft may be the most valuable selection in this history of NFL. Andrew Luck has been on NFL radars since after his redshirt freshman season at Stanford. He would have been the top selection in the 2011 draft had he decided not to return to school, and this season only solidified his status as the best prospect to enter the league in almost 15 years.

The Indianapolis Colts own the top pick in April's draft, and if they are smart they will create a bidding war for the right to win Luck's services. 

Franchise quarterbacks don't come around very often, and Luck is an elite franchise quarterback. Scouts Inc. rates him as a 99 out of 100, which is the highest rating they've ever given to a quarterback. There are plenty of reasons to love Luck and to consider him a slam dunk as a future star.

At 6'4" and 235 pounds, Luck has prototypical size. He also possesses incredible intangibles, as he has developed into a vocal leader to go along with being coachable and was also a first-team All-Pac 10 academic selection in 2009 and 2010. 

He has tons of experience as a three-year starter at Stanford in a pro system. As far as his arm goes, he displays excellent touch on deep balls and his accuracy and arm strength are excellent, but he's a touch below elite at both. Development could raise him to elite status in both areas. 

Luck is easily the best quarterback prospect the NFL has seen in a long, long time. Having watched a dozen or so games of his over the past two seasons, I can firmly say he has lived up to the advanced billing of scouts and NFL personnel people.

Teams in need of a quarterback will likely be willing to offer a king's ransom of players and picks in exchange for the chance to take a once-in-a-decade player like Luck. The Colts would be wise to listen to those offers.