2012 NFL Mock Draft: Matt Barkley and Robert Griffin III Close in on Andrew Luck

Andrew Luck is and has been the top prospect in the nation for two years running. That hasn't changed, but the gap between him and the other top quarterbacks has tightened considerably. So much so that teams who felt they needed Luck are now realizing they can strike gold without moving up.

That is to be expected in some respects. When a player is the consensus No. 1 for as long as Luck has been the only place for him to go is down.

Luck's 2011 season was very good and he exhibited all the abilities and traits that will likely make him the No. 1 pick this April.

He was not alone though. USC's Matt Barkley, a junior, and Baylor's Robert Griffin III, a redshirt junior also known as RGIII or RG3, were not just very good; they were sensational.

How close is the race between Luck, Barkley and RGIII? Depends on who you ask.

Here an updated look at the 2012 NFL Draft (full mock below) and how the quarterback race continues to heat up.

Andrew Luck, Stanford (No. 1 - Indianapolis Colts)

The Colts continue to get closer to the No. 1 overall selection. With five games remaining they have a two-game "lead" for the No. 1 spot on the St. Louis Rams and Minnesota Vikings. Ironically, both the Rams and Vikings already have their quarterbacks of the future.

The Colts might not need No. 1 to land Luck, but they'd run the risk of another team trading up for him.

Luck has everything you look for and then some in a franchise quarterback prospect. Some have called him the "next Peyton Manning," but with better athleticism.

There is no denying Luck's physical abilities are off the charts and the only reason people are doubting him now (mainly his arm strength) is because he has sat atop the draft board for so long.

As stated in the intro, there is no place for Luck to go but down in people's minds. Don't expect him to drop in the draft though.

Matt Barkley, USC (No. 4 - Miami Dolphins)

It has been far too long since the Dolphins had a true franchise quarterback. The number of players to lineup under center since Dan Marino's retirement is staggering (seven since 1999) and the number of coaches (four) doesn't help either.

Should this Dolphins team not get a chance at Luck (with three wins, already they won't) Barkley is the perfect fit.

The USC quarterback has done three things since arriving on campus and taking over as a freshman starter: improve every year, battle adversity and exhibit tremendous leadership.

And of the top recruits in the country coming out of high school, Barkley chose not to leave the Trojans program after his freshman year when the NCAA came down on it. Instead, he rallied his teammates behind him and led them to an 18-7 record over in his sophomore and junior seasons.

The record may seem mediocre to the high standards set by previous Trojan QBs, but Barkley was the driving force on teams that weren't nearly as talented as the ones Mark Sanchez, John David Booty and Matt Leinart had before him.

His numbers this year were better than both Carson Palmer and Matt Leinart's during their Heisman campaigns. Barkley's experience in a pro-style system, poise and overall talent as a passer make him a can't-miss top-five pick.

He always had the potential, but he put it all together this year and closed the gap on Luck.

Robert Griffin III, Baylor (No. 9 - Washington Redskins)

This year's most remarkable sensation at the quarterback position shouldn't really come as that big of surprise. RGIII burst onto the scene in Waco as a freshman and dazzled people with his athletic ability and knack for protecting the football.

He blew out his knee sophomore year and came back a bit hesitant as a redshirt sophomore (he still completed 67 percent of his passes and threw 22 touchdowns and only eight interceptions).

This season he put it all together and is now a potential top-15, if not top-10 pick.

The difference between RGIII and other spread quarterbacks with running ability is his decision-making and poise. Rather than force the ball (i.e. ridiculously low interception total) or take off every time a defensive lineman makes his way into the backfield, RGIII will scramble to find an open receiver or throw the ball away at the last minute. 

He feels the blitz well, knows where his reads are and doesn't panic or force the football.

If and when he does run (and he wants to beat you with his arm first) RGIII has remarkable athleticism and has completely overcome the 2009 injury that sidelined him.

He's not completely polished in his technique like Luck or Barkley, but he makes up for it in other areas and will only get better.

As for the Washington Redskins, if they ignore their need for a franchise QB one more time the fans will lose their minds.

*Draft order determined by combination of current record and projected finish.

No.	Team (Record)	Player, Pos.
1.	Indianapolis Colts (0-11)	Andrew Luck, QB
2.	St. Louis Rams (2-9)	Justin Blackmon, WR
3.	Carolina Panthers (3-8)	Quinton Coples, DE
4.	Miami Dolphins (3-8)	Matt Barkley, QB
5.	Jacksonville Jaguars (3-8)	Michael Floyd, WR
6.	Arizona Cardinals (3-8)	Matt Kalil, OT
7.	Minnesota Vikings (2-9)	Jonathan Martin, OT
8.	Cleveland Browns (4-7)	Trent Richardson, RB
9.	Washington Redskins (4-7)	Robert Griffin III, QB
10.	Seattle Seahawks (4-7)	Morris Claiborne, CB
11.	Philadelphia Eagles (4-7)	Alshon Jeffery, WR
12.	San Diego Chargers (4-7)	Dre Kirkpatrick, CB
13.	Kansas City Chiefs (4-7)	Riley Reiff, OT
14.	Tampa Bay Buccaneers (4-7)	Alfonzo Dennard, CB
15.	Buffalo Bills (5-6)	Landry Jones, QB
16.	Tennessee Titans (6-5)	Vontaze Burfict, LB
17.	Denver Broncos (6-5)	Lamar Miller, RB
18.	Chicago Bears (7-4)	Peter Konz, C
19.	Detroit Lions (7-4)	Luke Kuechly, LB
20.	New York Jets (6-5)	David DeCastro, OG
21.	New York Giants (6-5)	Zach Brown, LB
22.	Cincinnati Bengals (via OAK) (7-4)	Cordy Glenn, OG
23.	Cincinnati Bengals (7-4)	Janoris Jenkins, CB
24.	Cleveland Browns (via ATL) (7-4)	Jarvin Jones, LB
25.	Houston Texans (8-3)	Mark Barron, S
26.	Pittsburgh Steelers (8-3)	Dont'a Hightower, LB
27.	Dallas Cowboys (7-4)	Devon Still, DT
28.	New England (via NO 8-3)	Chase Minnifield, CB
29.	Baltimore Ravens (8-3)	Courtney Upshaw, DE
30.	San Francisco 49ers (9-2)	Kendall Wright, WR
31.	New England Patriots (8-3)	Mohamed Sanu, WR
32.	Green Bay Packers (11-0)	Brandon Thompson, DT