Andrew Luck Returns to Stanford: Why He Should Have Learned from Jake Locker
Andrew Luck returns to Stanford: Those are five words I never thought I'd write.
But alas, it's happening.
Andrew Luck will not enter the 2011 NFL Draft, despite the widespread assumption that he would be the No. 1 overall pick.
It's not the first time we've seen it happen, though.
Many fans and draft analysts thought Jake Locker would be the first pick in last year's draft, but he wound up staying in school.
That hasn't worked out all that well.
But will we see something similar happen with Luck?
Here are 10 reasons why Luck should have left Stanford and entered the 2011 NFL Draft.
10. He's the Consensus Best Prospect in the Draft
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Da'Quan Bowers is a beast of a defensive lineman, one of the best we've seen in recent years.
A.J. Green is arguably the most complete wide receiver prospect since Calvin Johnson.
And Patrick Peterson has the potential to be a top three cornerback for the next 10 years.
But none of those guys have ever been given the title "the best prospect in the draft."
Andrew Luck has.
ESPN's Scouts Inc. gives him a grade of 98 and every college football scout from the tip of Florida to Juneau, Alaska considers him to be the No. 1 player who is eligible to enter the 2011 NFL Draft.
Not going into the draft when you're its best player is like not singing when you have the best vocal pipes in the world.
9. Matt Leinart
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Before there was Andrew Luck and Jake Locker, there was Matt Leinart.
After winning the Heisman Trophy during his junior season, Leinart was essentially a lock to be the No. 1 overall pick in the 2005 NFL Draft.
Instead, he chose to remain at USC for his senior year, during which his draft stock took a pretty big hit.
Leinart fell all the way to the No. 10 pick in 2006, he lost a boatload of money he'll never recuperate, he sat on the bench while Kurt Warner took the Arizona Cardinals to a Super Bowl and then he was was straight up cut by the team in favor of Derek Anderson and Max Hall.
Does Luck really wanna be in Leinart's company?
Not unless he's doing this.
8. The Departing Senior Class
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Though Stanford has some stellar young players and currently has the No. 16 2011 recruiting class according to ESPN, the school is losing a plethora of talent this year.
Just take a look at the Cardinal's roster.
Stanford will be without a ton of departing seniors in 2011, many of which are three-year lettermen.
Of course there will be an influx of new talent and freshman/sophomore players will step up, but there's no guarantee that Stanford will be a national power again next year.
There is certainly the possibility that the Cardinal do compete for a national title.
Then again, you never really know.
7. He Can Always Go Back To School
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Andrew Luck is one year away from a degree from one of the finest academic institutions on the planet.
According to the U.S. News and World Report "Best Universities" rankings, Stanford was ranked as the No. 13 school in the world, the highest ranking of any FBS school.
If Luck stays there, he'll have a degree in architectural design, which probably means he'd earn somewhere in the low six-figures range if he didn't play football.
In fact, when he chose to remain at Stanford, he said that he did so because he is "committed to earning my degree."
But if he were to go to the NFL and make a ridiculous amount of money (which he would), he could always go back to school.
Just set some money aside and head back to Stanford when your playing days are over.
Maybe it's just me, but the choice seems pretty simple.
6. Jim Harbaugh Could Be Leaving Stanford
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Not to take anything away from Andrew Luck, but a big key to his success has been Stanford coach Jim Harbaugh.Â
Harbaugh is a former NFL quarterback who has played a pivotal role in helping Luck develop into not only a better quarterback, but a better man as well.
And in all likelihood, Harbaugh will not be back at Stanford next season.
He is reportedly close to agreeing to become the next head coach of the Miami Dolphins and has also been pursued by the San Francisco 49ers.
If Harbaugh goes, how much of an effect will it have on Luck's game?
Much of this depends upon Harbaugh's replacement, but you have to think that the play of Luck and Stanford as a whole could suffer in wake of Harbaugh's departure.
5. Risking Injury
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In 2009, Sam Bradford chose to go back to Oklahoma rather than enter the NFL Draft.
Then, early in the Sooners' season, he went down with an injury to his throwing shoulder that caused him to miss his final college season.
Yes, Bradford was chosen with the No. 1 overall pick in 2010. And, yes, he performed very well as a rookie.
But he is the exception rather than the rule.
If Andrew Luck returns to Stanford and suffers a devastating injury, it could make his draft stock plummet.
It's possible that Luck isn't healthy enough before the draft or even before training camp, which could end up ruining his draft position or even his career.
4. The Potential for a Rookie Wage Scale
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Sam Bradford was the No. 1 overall draft pick in 2010.
His contract: six years, $78 million, with $50 million in guaranteed money and a maximum value of $86 million.
Matthew Stafford was the No. 1 overall pick in 2009.
His contract: six years, $78 million, with $41.7 million in guaranteed money.
With the ongoing labor talks between the NFL and the Players' Union, those massive contracts will never happen again.
After the likely implementation of a rookie wage scale, the league will seriously reduce the amount of money given to first-year players.
Andrew Luck is risking a ton of money by not entering the draft.
Apparently, money doesn't talk.
3. The Carolina Panthers Said They'd Take Him
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According to ESPN, the Carolina Panthers know who they want to select with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2011 NFL Draft.
And that man is Andrew Luck.
Two Panthers officials revealed earlier this week that Luck would undoubtedly be the team's selection if he entered the draft.
That's basically a guarantee that he'd be making a boatload of money, playing in arguably the best quarterback division in all of football and starting for Carolina in 2011.
In life, there are very few sure things outside of death, taxes and seeing Brett Favre's name in the headlines.
And by passing up on the draft, Luck is passing up on a sure thing.
2. Jake Locker
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Leading up to the 2010 NFL Draft, it seemed like a foregone conclusion that Jake Locker would be the No. 1 pick, or at least a top five pick if he left Washington.
But he didn't.
Instead Locker stayed for his senior season and he had a miserable final campaign with the Huskies.
His stock fell from a possible top overall pick in 2010 to the current No. 23 overall prospect on the Scouts Inc. Big Board.
In actuality, Locker is rated by some scouts and draft analysts as the No. 5 quarterback in the 2011 draft class, behind Blaine Gabbert, Andrew Luck, Ryan Mallett and Cam Newton.
Couldn't the same type of fall happen to Luck?
1. The Opportunity To Save a Franchise
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Peyton Manning did it in Indianapolis.
Eli Manning kinda, sorta did it in New York.
And Sam Bradford seems to be doing it in St. Louis.
Now it's Andrew Luck's turn to do it in Carolina.
If Luck were to head to the Panthers and turn them from a terrible 2-14 team to a perennial Super Bowl contender, he would certainly be considered a franchise quarterback.
Check thatâhe would be a franchise savior.
By returning to Stanford, he's passing that up...and all the glory that comes along with it.Â
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