Tag: 2011 NFL Draft (Page 20 of 20)

Did the uncertainty of the NFL’s labor situation scare Andrew Luck into staying at Stanford?

Stanford Cardinal quarterback Andrew Luck (12) passes for 287 yards against the Virginia Tech Hokies during the 77th Annual Discover Orange Bowl at Sun Life stadium in Miami on January 3, 2011. Stanford defeated Virginia Tech 40-12. UPI/Martin Fried

There will be plenty of people in the next couple of days that will say Andrew Luck is crazy for staying at Stanford. He’s basically just handed over a treasure chest filled with $50 million so he could play in the Pac-10 again next year.

What are you thinking, kid? Your stock will never be higher! The iron has never been hotter! Carpe poon!

But maybe the young man is worried about there not being a season next year. And considering Roger Goodell has been all talk and no action when it comes to getting the owners and the NFLPA to come together on a new labor deal, I don’t blame Luck if he is concerned about entering the draft.

Will a deal probably get done eventually? Yes. Could Luck get hurt next season and wind up losing out on millions? Yes. Would I have left school if I were him and covered my self in chocolate sauce at the thought of receiving $50 million? Yes…what?

But again, if Luck was concerned about the NFL’s labor situation, I can’t blame him. Why not take the guarantee rather than the possibility of there not being a season next year? (Of course, to that I ask: Why not just wait and take the guaranteed $50 million when they do reach an agreement, numb nuts?)

On a related note: how screwed are the Carolina Panthers now? They were all set to take Luck with the No. 1 pick next April and now will have to go in another direction unless they think Arkansas’ Ryan Mallett (assuming he comes out) is worth that much guaranteed money. Some believe he’s a top 5 pick and while he certainly has the size and tools, it would be a stretch to say he’s worth the top overall selection.

It’s not good to be a Panther fan these days.

Are the Panthers already set on Andrew Luck at No. 1?

Stanford Cardinals quarterback Andrew Luck (12) completes this first half pass against the Virginia Tech Hokies during the 77th Annual Discover Orange Bowl at Sun Life stadium in Miami on January 3, 2011. UPI/Michael Bush

If the 2011 NFL Draft were to start in 20 minutes, the Carolina Panthers would already know whom they’d select with the No. 1 pick.

According to NFC South beat writer Pat Yasinskas of ESPN.com, Carolina has already decided to select Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck with the No. 1 pick if the redshirt sophomore enters April’s draft. Luck torched Virginia Tech for 287 yards and four touchdowns in Monday night’s Orange Bowl, but has yet to state his intentions about next season.

If Yasinskas’ report is accurate, then the Panthers obviously have decided that Jimmy Clausen was a waste of a second round pick in last year’s draft. Some regarded Clausen to be the most NFL-ready quarterback because he ran a pro-style offense for Charlie Weis at Notre Dame. But the rookie struggled mightily this year with his decision-making, his accuracy, his pocket presence, his leadership skills, with making the morning coffee for team meetings, with buckling his chinstrap and with parking in between the lines when he arrived to Bank of America Stadium on Sundays.

Making matters worse for the 2-14 Panthers is that they don’t have a second round pick after trading up for receiver project Armanti Edwards last year. He was a healthy inactive for most of the season and wound up hauling in a whopping zero passes for zero yards and zero touchdowns. The former Appalachian State star has plenty of raw talent and athleticism but given the current state of the Panthers, it’s fair to say that they made a bad decision in reaching for him last April.

Getting back to Luck, if he decides to return to Stanford then the Panthers can’t draft a quarterback at No. 1. Jake Locker had a brutal senior season, Christian Ponder didn’t even make it to halftime before being benched in Florida State’s bowl game last Friday and Blaine Gabbert of Missouri isn’t No. 1 material. Carolina will still get a great prospect with the top pick but it won’t be a quarterback if Luck stays in school.

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