Notre Dame vs Stanford: Why Michael Floyd Could Be a Better Pro Than Andrew Luck

Stanford QB Andrew Luck has gotten an awful lot of media attention this season. He's firmly in the hunt for the coveted Heisman Trophy and has been watched like a hawk. However, could WR Michael Floyd make a better pro player than Luck?

Both quarterbacks and receivers are highly coveted at draft time, but quarterbacks who get the kind of attention Luck has gotten usually go very high. It helps Luck's draft stock somewhat that he's played a pro-style offense for the entirety of his career.

He won't have as much to learn as a spread or option quarterback would have when it comes to the timing and drop sequence of a more standard pro-set attack.

Does that mean he'll have a better pro career, though? Not necessarily, and there are a few reasons why Floyd could have the better Sunday career than Luck.

The First-Round Quarterback Curse

Yeah, it's usually "the No. 1 pick curse," but I think it goes beyond that. Quarterbacks (and players in general) seem to have a tougher time when they're taken in the first round.

Why is that?

Well, it's pretty simple really. They're rarely afforded the opportunity to grow in a system before they're expected to lead it.

Late-round picks are rarely put very high on the depth chart. Therefore, they get an opportunity to sit behind a couple of more experienced quarterbacks and learn the ins and outs of the pro game before they have to take the field and show what they can do.

First-round picks too often find themselves at the top of the depth chart early on, as owners feel the need to get the most out of their money quickly. They pay top dollar for top draft picks and want a return on that investment immediately.

Unfortunately, that's not really the best course of action. The young quarterbacks are not used to the speed and talent of pro defenses and tend to make poor choices. Passes that are immediate completions at the college level are picks at the pro level.

Also, quarterbacks taken early in the draft tend to go to teams that need a quick turnaround in their organization. The reason they're in position to take those quarterbacks are because they stink, and they stink because they don't have great personnel. So, a highly selected quarterback is often going to a team that doesn't have a strong offensive line or great receivers, and he's expected to deliver the mail.

It's not a great situation.

Receivers, on the other hand, have fewer obstacles in front of them. Chances are pretty good that they at least have a serviceable quarterback throwing to them and they're not expected to run the entire offense. They're responsible only for a segment of that offense.

Floyd has only to focus on running clean routes, getting separation and catching the passes thrown his way. While that's a tall enough order, it's far less demanding than learning an entire offense, dealing with what the line gives you and learning where your receivers can and can't catch the ball. 

Making the Most

In addition to what will be asked of each player, there's the matter of what they've gone through to get to this point.

Michael Floyd's troubles have been well-documented. He's had three brushes with the law while at Notre Dame, stemming from alcohol-related incidents.

While that's not a glowing endorsement of Michael Floyd's character, scouts only have to look at how he's conducted himself through the course of his senior season to see that he's made amends. He has not had any further issues. He has not had any disciplinary action since last spring.

By his own account—as well as that of his coach—he's made the right changes. He's grown as both a player and a man.

It's really important when a young man recognizes the consequences of his actions, takes responsibility for them, and makes the steps to change.

It might seem trite to say that Luck won't be a good pro quarterback because he hasn't struggled enough. A more apt argument might be that he's never gotten into that kind of trouble in the first place and has demonstrated both good character and good play on the field.

That's fair.

However, don't underestimate the positive gains a player can make when they've gone through the fire and come out the other side a better man. Luck has almost always had a good team around him. He's almost always had the better program and the better competition to showcase his abilities.

Floyd has had to go about it the hard way. He's fought through mediocre seasons with mediocre teams. He's had to overcome less-than-impressive seasons and he's had to confront his own demons.

He's ready now to make the most of the opportunity he has been given and knows how close he came to having it all taken away. Brian Kelly could have suspended him or even removed him from the team. The school could have taken away his scholarship on the basis of conduct.

He got another chance and has made the most of that opportunity. He won't forget how he narrowly lost it all because of a stupid choice.

Floyd Has Been Challenged More than Luck

Andrew Luck has had the benefit of being a tremendous quarterback in a league that isn't known for playing tremendous defense. Oregon's offense makes headlines. USC makes headlines, but not always for their defense. Occasionally, there are teams like California or Arizona State that step up and make some noise.

However, can you really say that Andrew Luck has faced truly tough pass defenses week in and week out? The stats would say otherwise.

Floyd, on the other hand, has had to face some very tough pass defenses. Michigan State has the fourth-best pass defense in the nation. Michigan is ranked 14th against the pass, Air Force is eighth in the nation and even Purdue comes in ranked higher than most of the opponents on Stanford's schedule.

While I don't discount Andrew Luck's talent, I question how legitimate his statistics are to a point.

Meanwhile, Floyd has gone up against some truly good pass defenders and still put up record-breaking numbers at Notre Dame. He has consistently been a game-changing force who has put up some tremendous numbers.

When it comes to playing on Sunday, Luck might have a measure of culture shock as he has to deal with corners and safeties who will be much faster and better at reading the play than anyone Luck has faced at Stanford.

When draft day comes around, you're going to see an awful lot of cameras with their lenses pointed firmly in Andrew Luck's face. He's earned it. What he has done at Stanford is something to be very proud of.

However, don't dismiss Michael Floyd and don't be surprised if Floyd's career takes off faster than Luck's. He has faced better competition (as far as his position goes), has learned to fight through adversity and will be less likely to be thrown into a situation where he'll be asked to do more than he's capable of doing.

You may well be seeing a lot more of Michael Floyd and for a lot longer, than you will Andrew Luck.