Andrew Luck: QB Won't Boost Indianapolis Colts Without Proper Supporting Cast

The Indianapolis Colts will make Andrew Luck the top pick in the 2012 NFL draft, but the team's rebuilding project won't get off the ground if it can't surround the Stanford quarterback with talent.

Colts general manager Ryan Grigson has announced the team will make Luck the first pick in Thursday night's draft. Now comes the hard part: filling out the rest of the roster. Indianapolis is a team without much talent, and while Luck is the best quarterback prospect to enter the NFL in more than a decade, his addition alone won't make the Colts a playoff team. 

The Colts finished 26th league-wide in rushing offense in 2011, averaging just 99.6 yards per game. Donald Brown and Delone Carter return in the backfield, but neither guy has shown the ability to be a long-term solution at running back. Meanwhile, with Pierre Garcon off to Washington and Reggie Wayne aging, Luck will need some help at receiver. Let's be honest: Austin Collie, Donnie Avery and Quan Cosby won't strike fear into the hearts of defensive coordinators. 

Meanwhile, Ben Ijalana and Anthony Castonzo will both return for their second seasons at offensive tackle. However, Ijalana is coming off an ACL injury and the rest of the line is completely devoid of talent.

The Colts desperately need to add playmakers in the backfield and on the perimeter, and they also need to find replacements for Jeff Saturday and Ryan Diem on the interior of the offensive line. There are a lot of holes that need to be filled, or Luck won't have anyone to protect him or give the ball to.

Defensively, the Colts finished 29th against the run, allowing a ridiculous 143.9 yards per game. In new head coach Chuck Pagano's 3-4 defense, the key position is nose tackle. There is no one currently on the team's roster who can adequately fill that spot. Meanwhile, the secondary lacks depth and talent, and Grigson will have to add cornerbacks at some point.

Luck will be a nice first piece to the puzzle for the Colts, but unless they add a ton of talent quickly, his development could take a while.