Andrew Luck and Other Great Pac-12 QBs Who Played in the NFL

The Pac-12 has produced some pretty good quarterbacks over the years. Former Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck is the consensus No. 1 overall pick in this year's draft (and probably would have went No. 1 last year too). 

However, declaring Luck the next Peyton Manning or John Elway is a bit premature. Find out where I rank Andrew Luck among the Pac-12 greats in the upcoming slideshow. 

10. Chris Chandler (Washington)

Chris Chandler is most known for taking the 1998 Falcons to the Super Bowl and upsetting the 15-1 Minnesota Vikings on the road. 

That was the only time the Falcons have made the Super Bowl.

But Chandler, a two-time Pro Bowler, also recorded passer ratings of 0 and 158.3 during his tenure, which highlights the long-time quarterback's inconsistencies.

9. Mark Brunell (Washington)

Before being relegated to a backup quarterback in the NFL, Mark Brunell had a pretty solid quarterbacking career.

Brunell threw for over 30,000 yards and finished with a quarterback rating in the mid-80s. Brunell also qualified for three Pro Bowls, all of which coming when he played for Jacksonville, one of the league's worst markets. 

But Brunell took the Jaguars to unprecedented heights, advancing to the AFC Conference championship twice in his tenure with Jacksonville. 

8. Drew Bledsoe (Washington State)

Before Tom Brady threw passes for New England, Drew Bledsoe was the starting quarterback for many years. 

Bledsoe threw for nearly 45,000 yards during his career, most with New England, and was a four-time Pro Bowler. 

Brady started playing well for the Patriots, signaling the end for Bledsoe in New England. He actually had a better QB rating after leaving New England but never advanced to the postseason.  

7. Jake Plummer (ASU)

Jake Plummer is probably one of the more overrated quarterbacks on this list, with a 74.6 career quarterback rating, but he played much better at the twilight of his career. 

From 2003 to 2005, Plummer had an 88.1 QB rating, while playing for the Broncos. 

Plummer retired very young, as he was in his early 30s. He guided the Broncos to the AFC championship in 2005, and much of his legacy hinged on that division playoff win over New England. 

6. Andrew Luck (Stanford)

When it's all said and done, I believe Luck will be the sixth greatest NFL quarterback from the Pac-12.

While that may be considered low to some, I invite you to peak further into the slideshow and look at the top five players. He's in some pretty good company. 

Anyway, Luck hasn't taken an NFL snap and still needs to prove himself. Certainly, Luck has all the physical skills to succeed and his intangibles are off the chart. Until he actually plays in the NFL, I can't rank him any higher. 

5. Troy Aikman (UCLA)

Before broadcasting, Troy Aikman was a Hall of Fame quarterback with the Dallas Cowboys. 

His stats may not be as great as the players in front of him, but he won three Super Bowls.  And that has to count for something. 

All he does is win! After his rookie year, Aikman had a career record of 94-60 (61 percent). In addition, he won 11 playoff games for "America's team."

4. Warren Moon (Washington)

Along with Randall Cunningham, the play of Warren Moon allowed black quarterbacks a chance in the NFL. 

Moon, a nine-time Pro Bowler, torched defenses in his illustrious NFL career. And Moon also threw for more than 49,000 yards in his career, which is fifth all-time. (It was third when he retired.)

Perhaps the only knock on Moon was the amount of interceptions he threw in his career, as he twice led the league in that department.

But as a gun-slinging quarterback, Moon was bound to have the ball land in the wrong hands.  

3. Dan Fouts (Oregon)

Dan Fouts is perhaps one of the more underrated quarterbacks in NFL history. 

His 43,040 passing yards are in the all-time top 10, and when he retired in 1987, he was ranked second. Fouts led the league in passing four consecutive seasons. 

And he spent his entire career with the San Diego Chargers. In his era, the numbers he produced were impressive, but now, with the evolution of the quarterback, Fouts' name doesn't get mentioned as much. 

2. Aaron Rodgers (Cal)

After a record-shedding 2011 season, Aaron Rodgers is now the best active quarterback in the NFL. Rodgers already owns a Super Bowl ring, and his 122.5 QB rating last year set a single-season record. 

Despite only starting full-time for four seasons, Rodgers is quickly building his reputation and legacy as one of the greatest quarterbacks to ever play. 

Rodgers is also on pace to break the all-time QB rating record, with a 104.1 career rating, despite playing in the frigid Green Bay temperatures. 

1. John Elway (Stanford)

John Elway is certainly one of the best quarterbacks to ever play the game. He won the Broncos two Super Bowls in his final two seasons. 

Elway was one of the greatest "clutch" quarterbacks with "The Drive" still resonating in many fans' minds. 

Career-wise Elway has over 50,000 passing yards and 300 touchdowns and now works in the Broncos front office.