2012 NFL Mock Draft: Should Indianapolis Colts Take Andrew Luck?

With Peyton Manning sidelined, it's become painfully obvious how important an elite quarterback is to the Indianapolis Colts. The Colts are one of a couple teams in the running for Stanford signal-caller Andrew Luck. But, if they get the first pick, should Indianapolis take him?

Why the Colts should take Luck

Manning's health is a question mark, and after a neck problem like he's dealt with this season, he will need to be cautious about returning. Even though Curtis Painter has exceeded expectations, Indianapolis isn't an elite team with him under center.

Luck would be able to step in right away, if necessary, and make Indianapolis' offense a capable unit again. If Manning was ready to play, the veteran could either become trade bait or help mentor Luck for a few seasons.

While there are no guarantees in the NFL Draft, Luck would appear to be as close as it gets. He's put up eye-popping numbers at Stanford and has everything you could want from a young quarterback, including a good attitude.

The transition from Manning to Luck would allow the Colts to not miss a beat at the position for more than two decades, if Luck is as good as advertised. And since the league is becoming more pass-oriented, that's more important than ever.

Why the Colts shouldn't take Luck

If the 2011 season has illustrated anything about the Colts, it's that Manning has covered up a lot of holes with his magnificent play. Indianapolis might become a playoff contender with Luck, but they won't be a Super Bowl contender until more improvements are made.

They have swung and missed on a lot of draft picks in recent seasons, which is a major reason for deficiencies across the roster. A franchise quarterback is a major piece to the puzzle, but it's far from the only one.

Spending a first-round pick on Luck when you already have Manning on the roster would lead to another subpar season from the defense and running game. The offensive line isn't anything to write home about either.

There are other elite players on the board like Quinton Coples and Dre Kirkpatrick, which Indianapolis could secure by swapping spots with a quarterback-needy team and adding some extra picks to bolster the defense in the process.

Verdict

In most other seasons, trading down would be the smarter move. However, that's not the case with Luck available. He has the potential to have the same impact on the franchise that Manning did, and another prospect like him won't come around for another decade.

If they end up selecting first, the Colts should take Andrew Luck.

Note: Draft order is a combination of current records and expected performance.

No.	Team	Player, Pos.
1.	Indianapolis Colts	Andrew Luck, QB
2.	Miami Dolphins	Matt Barkley, QB
3.	St. Louis Rams	Justin Blackmon, WR
4.	Denver Broncos	Quinton Coples, DE
5.	Carolina Panthers	Alshon Jeffery, WR
6.	Jacksonville Jaguars	Matt Kalil, OT
7.	Minnesota Vikings	Jonathan Martin, OT
8.	Arizona Cardinals	Dre Kirkpatrick, CB
9.	Kansas City Chiefs	Riley Reiff, OT
10.	Seattle Seahawks	Landry Jones, QB
11.	Cleveland Browns	Vontaze Burfict, LB
12.	Philadelphia Eagles	Luke Kuechly, LB
13.	Chicago Bears	Morris Claiborne, CB
14.	Cleveland Browns (via Falcons)	Michael Floyd, WR
15.	Cincinnati Bengals	Trent Richardson, RB
16.	New York Jets	Brandon Jenkins, LB
17.	Tennessee Titans	Stephon Gilmore, CB
18.	Tampa Bay Buccaneers	Courtney Upshaw, DE
19.	Dallas Cowboys	Manti Te'o, LB
20.	Cincinnati Bengals (via Raiders)	Jerel Worthy, DT
21.	Houston Texans	Jayron Hosley, CB
22.	San Francisco 49ers	Zach Brown, LB
23.	Washington Redskins	Mike Brewster, C
24.	New York Giants	Cliff Harris, CB
25.	Buffalo Bills	Alfonzo Dennard, CB
26.	Pittsburgh Steelers	Andrew Datko, OT
27.	Baltimore Ravens	David DeCastro, OG
28.	New England Patriots (via Saints)	Jared Crick, DT
29.	San Diego Chargers	Alameda Ta'amu, NT
30.	Detroit Lions	Ryan Broyles, WR
31.	New England Patriots	Chase Minnifield, CB
32.	Green Bay Packers	Mark Barron, S