NFL Draft 2012: Is Robert Griffin III Really Worth a Top-10 Pick?

We have all known for more than a year that Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck would be the No. 1 pick in the 2012 NFL draft. But now that USC's Matt Barkley and Oklahoma's Landry Jones have both decided to return to college, Baylor's Robert Griffin III has emerged as the No. 2 quarterback on the board this year. 

I tend to be wary of players who get huge hype after a big first season that in the national spotlight. That said, I can't deny Griffin's incredible athleticism and what he accomplished at Baylor.

During his Heisman Trophy winning campaign in 2011, the 22-year-old completed 72.4 percent of his passes for 4,293 yards, with 37 touchdowns and six interceptions. He also ran for 699 yards and 10 more scores.

On top of being a phenomenal athlete, Griffin also has off-the-charts intangibles. He was an outstanding student and graduated in December 2010 with a degree in political science with an eye towards attending law school. He is a hard worker, a great leader and was the Big 12 400-meter hurdles champion in 2008. 

Obviously he's fast, but his arm has improved over the years, as an improved delivery helped with his accuracy and he now delivers the ball with more zip on it. I still don't consider Griffin's arm strength elite, because I think there is a difference between being able to throw the ball far, and being able to deliver it hard on a line.

Griffin often floats his deep balls, but his anticipation and accuracy have improved to the point where those throws could be completed in college. I'm not sure how that will translate to the next level.

He is undersized at 6'1" and 218 pounds, but he makes up for that with his scrambling and the ability to extend plays with his legs. 

I'm not sure if Griffin will be an elite  quarterback worthy of a Top-10 selection. But if a team selects him and makes him the face of its franchise, they will not be disappointed with him as a representative. He will be a fan favorite and will elevate the public status of whichever team takes him.

I don't think he'll last past the No. 6 pick, which the Washington Redskins own.