OT: Andrew Luck returning to Stanford
Per many sources on Twitter. Let the speculation begin, as it has in the social mediasphere. Does this affect what Harbaugh does? Or, does Luck have information that everyone else doesn't? Good decision by Luck, by the way. An architectural design degree from Stanford will last him a lifetime.
January 6th, 2011 at 2:49 PM ^
On ESPN now too. Interesting because I think he said that JH's decision would affect his.
January 6th, 2011 at 3:09 PM ^
lots of $$$$
January 6th, 2011 at 2:49 PM ^
OMG HOW DOES HE KNOW? IS ANDREW LUCK FROM THE FUTURE? ANDREW, DO MEALS COME IN PILL FORM?! WILL I BE TALLER? IN THE FUTURE DOES STANFORD'S PANDA ALLOTMENT RUN OUT AND MICHIGAN GETS A NEW HEAD COACH TO FEAST ON ITS COUZENS ALLOTMENT?! ANDREW, TELL US THE FUTURE!
January 6th, 2011 at 2:51 PM ^
Fail.
January 6th, 2011 at 2:50 PM ^
I think it's a good idea he should stay as well. He may make millions in the NFL but that's not a guarantee. He may end up being a total flameout as well and if that's the case, he will not regret staying for his senior year.
January 6th, 2011 at 2:57 PM ^
with what happened to Jake Locker this year I would have to take the money and run. He can always go back to school. FWIW, I do believe they are guaranteed a ton of money. Maybe not long term but it seems like they do get a large guaranteed sum with their first contract now.
January 6th, 2011 at 3:05 PM ^
I don't think Locker's problem was coming back. In fact Washington had a pretty good season, all things considered with him at the helm this year. The problem was he wasn't going to be the first pick in the draft anywhere but on ESPN mock boards during the middle of the college season.
Luck has a lot of physical gifts but I think he is far from a finished product (kind of scary for Pac 12 teams next year). The NFL scouts aren't going to be impressed that you can hit a wide open guy off play action like he did in the Orange Bowl. The "he's the surefire #1 pick" assumption almost never pans out when you actually get to draft day and somebody like Mario Williams comes out of nowhere to land the top spot, even assuming he is the first QB taken which may not be the case with Mallett and others available.
January 6th, 2011 at 6:47 PM ^
...and I say that with no ill-will towards Mallett (though I believe Mallett would be better served by going back for his senior season than Luck, though Mallett is still a first round talent...just maybe now its at the end of the 1st round).
Luck's judgement and accuracy is probably among the best in college football right now. And even non-ESPN employee Jimmy Johnson thought so (saying to take Luck if you could, regardless of your quarterback).
January 6th, 2011 at 2:59 PM ^
Several million dollars in guaranteed $$ is a pretty good "guarantee" to me. If he flames out he can always take his several million dollars back to Stanford and finish up his degree. Degrees can be so darn overrated. If he gets hurt next year, he could lose his #1 pick status and end up earning much less. There's no doubt what decision I'd make, but to each his own.
January 6th, 2011 at 3:00 PM ^
Umm, yes, it's a guarantee. If he's the first round pick, or anything close to it, he will make millions of dollars, guaranteed, no matter how badly he flames out.
January 6th, 2011 at 3:12 PM ^
he gets all the $$$ from the signing bonus guarenteed
January 6th, 2011 at 2:50 PM ^
He'll be missing out on millions when the next NFL CBA has a rookie salary cap in it.
January 6th, 2011 at 2:50 PM ^
Can he coach? I hear he already has a Michigan connection through coaches or something...
January 6th, 2011 at 2:51 PM ^
This is going to be a good QB class, but Andrew Luck would certainly go first round.
TELLING
VERY TELLING
January 6th, 2011 at 2:58 PM ^
He seems to be the clear #1 pick.
January 6th, 2011 at 2:51 PM ^
honestly, i think it's a bad decision. why pass up being the #1 pick?
January 6th, 2011 at 2:53 PM ^
Bradford did it and he turned out pretty well.
January 6th, 2011 at 2:56 PM ^
He passed up being number one, and then got injured for most of the year. He was lucky that his decision didn't cost him millions of dollars
January 6th, 2011 at 3:01 PM ^
one example doesn't make good evidence. for instance, leinart would have gone higher had he come out early. regardless, the question is what's been the best decision for all of the players who have confronted it and the almost universal answer is if you're going to be a top 10 pick, never turn it down. certainly not the # pick. but hey, maybe he really likes college.
January 6th, 2011 at 3:10 PM ^
Leinart would not have been drafted any higher had he come out. The only reason he came back is because he needed off season elbow surgery and wasn't going to be able to work out for pro scouts. For a guy whose arm strength people questioned a great deal, I doubt he would have been higher than the top-10 pick he was a year later.
Evaluations by people who follow college football months before the NFL draft rarely jive with what the NFL people actually want/say.
January 6th, 2011 at 3:16 PM ^
agreed that one example doesn't make for good evidence, but bradford comes to mind immediately. Maybe Luck saw what happened with him and thought another year couldn't hurt.
January 6th, 2011 at 2:53 PM ^
Pros in returning: Avoid the lockout; avoid the Carolina Panthers; avoid Clausen
January 6th, 2011 at 2:56 PM ^
But now Clausen might get another chance to find success at Carolina. I don't like that. What is college sports without schadenfreude?
January 6th, 2011 at 4:10 PM ^
Clausen is no longer in college sports.
January 6th, 2011 at 2:56 PM ^
Double
January 6th, 2011 at 2:53 PM ^
Good for him staying to get his degree.
Stupid otherwise -- He was a for sure 1st round pick.
January 6th, 2011 at 2:56 PM ^
I kind of remember a QB from Oklahoma named Sam Bradford who hung around for his senior year.
Luck's stock will never be higher than it is right now. He can complete the degree down the road if he wants, but the guaranteed money the NFL will pay him will be hard to match as an architect, unless it is the largest architectural firm in the country and he is its sole owner.
January 6th, 2011 at 5:52 PM ^
Not even then. An architectural design degree is worthless. Shit, the degree from Stanford isn't even accredited. If Luck breaks his arm next season he might end up working 100 hours a week for $1000/month in one of Rem Koolhaas's offices and he'll then be on archinect.com bitching about how much architecture sucks (yes there is a t-shirt) like all the other recent arch grads...assuming he's lucky enough to even get a job in the field.
Seriously, this kid is a fool. Take the $$$.
January 6th, 2011 at 5:57 PM ^
My comment was tongue in cheek...the extra year at Stanford that he will lose in the NFL is also another expensive loss.
January 6th, 2011 at 3:00 PM ^
Not a good business decision. He can always complete his degree in the off season or via Online courses (if available), but the $$$ that goes along with being the consensus over all #1 pick may not be.
That said - it's obviously his choice, just hope it's not one he regrets.
January 6th, 2011 at 3:01 PM ^
January 6th, 2011 at 3:04 PM ^
... that this is Bad Luck for those NFL teams in need of a QB.
January 6th, 2011 at 3:06 PM ^
All of Charlotte is ready to jump.
January 6th, 2011 at 3:14 PM ^
there won't be much of a splash?
/somewhat dark empy stadium joke
January 6th, 2011 at 3:12 PM ^
I'm sorry but I just don't get it. You're the consensus number 1 pick in the draft. You go.
January 6th, 2011 at 3:26 PM ^
He went to Stanford, so he was obviously interested in a good education.
His dad is a former NFL quarterback and the current AD at West Virginia, so no real financial need.
The NFL may not even play next year.
He'll still be a top ten player, baring injury, whenever he decides to come out.
With no obvious need for money, you can't really take his decision to stay as an indication of anything. Maybe he likes being at Stanford. Maybe he likes architecture as much as football. Maybe he likes his teammates. Maybe he wants another chance to win the Heisman.
January 6th, 2011 at 9:20 PM ^
All your points are true but he is turning down setting up his family for generations. By not turning pro this year he is giving up ~40million in guranteed money. With the collective barganing agreement coming in 2012 his gurantee goes down from Bradford money (50m) to 10-15million. I'm sorry you can't stay with that much money on the table.
January 6th, 2011 at 5:34 PM ^
40 million of dollars by staying at Stanford. There is a reason why he's considered the best player in the draft because of his uncommon ability to read defense, progression reads, has strong arm and is surprisingly mobile. But whatever, more power to him but if Luck gets hurt, he has nothing to blame but himself.
January 6th, 2011 at 5:40 PM ^
1st overall pick...no thanks...I admire his stupidity. Didnt he learn anything at Stanford? I thought it is supposed to be a good school.
January 6th, 2011 at 6:21 PM ^
Genuinely good kid, at a top academic school. Kid very well could have/should have won the Heisman over Newton, Newtons dad and the bag full of money they carried away. I hope Luck has a great year next season and shows everyone that sometimes nice guys finish first.
January 6th, 2011 at 9:16 PM ^
FWIW, Ryan Mallett has declared for the draft.
http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/draft2011/news/story?id=5996931