Andrew Luck: How Does His Return To Stanford Change 2011 NFL Draft?

Surprisingly, Stanford's Andrew Luck has decided to return to the Cardinal for his redshirt Junior season, despite being the consensus No. 1 pick in the 2011 NFL Draft. Whatever the reasons are that Luck decided to forgo millions of dollars for at least one season, the NFL's top quarterback prospect will stay in  school.

This will cause seismic shifts in the NFL Draft. Who will be drafted first overall is now very much in question. There will be plenty of ramifications of Luck's decision.

Here are some possible changes to keep an eye on.

Carolina Might Trade Its Top Pick

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ATLANTA, GA - JANUARY 02: Jimmy Clausen #2 of the Carolina Panthers throws a pass in the second quarter during their game against the Atlanta Falcons at the Georgia Dome on January 2, 2011 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Scott Halleran/Getty Images)

Reports stated that the Carolina Panthers planned to draft Andrew Luck with the first pick of the Draft. That plan is obviously nixed. Carolina now has to decide whether or not there is another player—quarterback or not—they find worth drafting first overall.

Carolina could decide to reinvest in last year's second round pick, quarterback Jimmy Clausen, and drop in the draft to fill a different need. It could also determine it can pick up a different quarterback with a lower pick and let someone else draft first by trading away the top pick for other players or picks.

Da'Quan Powers May Now Be Drafted First Overall

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AUBURN, AL - SEPTEMBER 18: Da'Quan Bowers #93 of the Clemson Tigers against the Auburn Tigers at Jordan-Hare Stadium on September 18, 2010 in Auburn, Alabama. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)

Clemson's fabulous defensive end, Da'Quan Bowers, is widely considered the top NFL prospect and has already declared for the draft. He has to be the new favorite to be drafted first overall. The question is, does Carolina want him badly enough to pick him first or is there another team that wants Bowers enough to trade up?

Bowers is a production machine and will likely blow team scouts away with his performance in the NFL Combine.

Missouri's Blaine Gabbert Is Now the Highest Rated Quarterback

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TEMPE, AZ - DECEMBER 28: Quarterback Blaine Gabbert #11 of the Missouri Tigers throws a pass during the Insight Bowl against the Iowa Hawkeyes at Sun Devil Stadium on December 28, 2010 in Tempe, Arizona. The Hawkeyes defeated the Tigers 27-24. (Photo by

Blaine Gabbert stands to make a lot more money in the NFL now that Luck has returned to college. Gabbert has already declared for the draft and was already considered by some worthy of a top five pick.

Gabbert will shoot up the draft now. Being picked number one overall could be a stretch, but teams in need of a quarterback will battle over draft position to land a player like Gabbert.

The Bengals, Titans and Others May Move Around in the Draft

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NASHVILLE, TN - NOVEMBER 21: Lorenzo Alexander #97 of the Washington Redskins forces a fumble by quarterback Vince Young #10 of the Tennessee Titans during the first half at LP Field on November 21, 2010 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Grant Halverso

There are plenty of NFL teams already high in the draft with quarterback concerns.

The Cincinnati Bengals may be looking for Carson Palmer's replacement. The Tennessee Titans plan to part ways with Vince Young and don't have a long future with Kerry Collins. The Buffalo Bills, Washington Redskins and more could be looking for a quarterback.

This could cause a ton of fluctuation in the first round of the draft. There is one less first round-worthy prospect on the board, which could create a frenzy for positioning to secure the others.

Terrelle Pryor May Well Declare for the Draft

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NEW ORLEANS, LA - JANUARY 04: Terrelle Pryor #2 of the Ohio State Buckeyes looks to pass in the second half against the Arkansas Razorbacks during the Allstate Sugar Bowl at the Louisiana Superdome on January 4, 2011 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by

Terrelle Pryor's decision to stay in school or declare for the NFL Draft just got a little more complicated. Facing a five game suspension from the NCAA to start next season, it may be best for Pryor to forgo his senior season and enter the draft.

Pryor told coach Jim Tressel that he would return to Ohio State in order to play in the Sugar Bowl, but he's now one spot higher on the list of available quarterbacks if he declares.

And performing well in the Sugar Bowl helped his stock.

Ryan Mallett Will Be Drafted Too High

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NEW ORLEANS, LA - JANUARY 04: Ryan Mallett #15 of the Arkansas Razorbacks looks down in the second half against the Ohio State Buckeyes during the Allstate Sugar Bowl at the Louisiana Superdome on January 4, 2011 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Kev

Ryan Mallett's physical gifts are undeniable. He has the perfect frame for an NFL quarterback, can make every throw imaginable and has good mobility. For these reasons, he's rated very highly by pro scouts.

However, Mallett is developing a reputation for withering in the spotlight. Lackluster performances against Alabama and Ohio State this season have raised question marks about Mallett's intangibles.

With Luck off the board, teams may be desperate enough to draft Mallett higher than originally planned or deserved.

Jake Locker's Draft Stock Continues To Move Up and Down

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SEATTLE - OCTOBER 30: Quarterback Jake Locker #10 of the Washington Huskies passes against the Stanford Cardinal on October 30, 2010 at Husky Stadium in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Otto Greule Jr/Getty Images)

Jake Locker may be the poster child for disagreement with Andrew Luck's decision to return to Stanford. Locker was in contention to be picked first overall last season—and would have been one of the top two quarterbacks drafted—but decided instead to return to Washington.

Since then, Locker's draft stock has been battered. He's still considered one of the top quarterbacks available and may be back into the first round with Luck not available.

The Broncos May Look To Move Their Second Overall Pick

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DENVER - JANUARY 02: Quarterback Tim Tebow #15 of the Denver Broncos scrambles against the San Diego Chargers at INVESCO Field at Mile High on January 2, 2011 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Doug Pensinger/Getty Images)

If Carolina doesn't trade away its top pick, that leaves the Denver Bronco's second overall pick as the draft's hottest commodity. The Broncos aren't expected to be shopping for a quarterback early in the draft after drafting Tim Tebow in the first round last season.

If Carolina indicates that it is sticking by Jimmy Clausen, then other teams will want Denver's pick to be the first to pick a quarterback.

Cam Newton Is the Dark Horse for the No. 1 Overall Pick

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ATLANTA - DECEMBER 04: Quarterback Cam Newton #2 of the Auburn Tigers runs with the ball during the 2010 SEC Championship against the South Carolina Gamecocks at Georgia Dome on December 4, 2010 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Mike Zarrilli/Getty Images)

Cam Newton has skyrocketed into the top 10 of draft boards while leading Auburn to a BCS National Championship Game appearance. He is a raw talent that has been every bit as dangerous as a runner this season as he has been a passer.

We've seen such quarterbacks go higher than expected when a coach or owner falls in love with them. Josh McDaniels drafted Tim Tebow to the Broncos several spots higher than expected last season. Titans owner Bud Adams tabbed Vince Young his man and drafted him third overall in 2006, higher than most teams were willing to.

A Defensive Player Will Be Drafted First Overall

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BATON ROUGE, LA - NOVEMBER 13: Patrick Peterson #7 of the Louisiana State University Tigers runs back an interception against the Louisiana Monroe Warhawks at Tiger Stadium on November 13, 2010 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty I

There isn't another quarterback that has received the acclaim of Andrew Luck. There isn't a must-have offensive tackle prospect that should be picked with the top two or three picks. And as good as Georgia's A.J. Green and Alabama's Julio Jones are, nobody is taking a wide receiver with the first pick.

That increases the likelihood that a defensive player be picked first overall. If it's not Da'Quan Bowers, it may be LSU's Patrick Peterson. He's considered the best defensive back prospect.