2012 NFL Draft: Why the Indianapolis Colts Should Pass on Andrew Luck

At this point, the Indianapolis Colts are basically guaranteed to land the top overall pick in the 2012 NFL draft. 

While most people will say that Andrew Luck is whom the Colts should draft, I completely disagree.

Now, before you take up your pitchforks and lanterns and attempt to track me down, hear me out for a moment.

First, let me ask you a question. Would the Indianapolis Colts be that much better with Peyton Manning?

I know that they wouldn't be 0-11 right now, but I also don't think they would be 9-2 or 8-3. Heck, I don't even think they would be over .500.

And that is the main reason why Indianapolis should pass on Andrew Luck. This team is much further away from being a legitimate contender than one player.

The smart move for Indianapolis is not to draft Luck, but rather trade their pick to a team willing to give up quite a bit for him.

When you look at the NFL, there are a handful of teams that would be willing to give up numerous draft picks to have the opportunity at landing Luck. For example, the Miami Dolphins, Washington Redskins and Seattle Seahawks all have a need for a franchise quarterback.

If the Atlanta Falcons were willing to give up five draft picks for Julio Jones, what would teams be willing to give up for Mr. Luck? My guess would be their first- and second-round picks in the 2012 and 2013 draft, along with multiple other mid-round picks in the next two years.

Just think what the Colts could do with so many early round picks. They could address their biggest need (running back) by drafting Trent Richardson or Lamar Miller, and still be able to draft talented players to improve their offensive line and secondary.

They could even wait until a later round to draft a "project" quarterback who could learn under Manning for a few years. Heck, they would probably get enough draft picks to draft me if they wanted to.

There is no doubt that Luck is a rare prospect who deserves to be drafted with the first pick in the 2012 NFL draft.

However, the Colts shouldn't be the team that drafts him.