Andrew Luck Not Swayed By Jim Harbaugh Departure, Will Remain At Stanford

Andrew Luck and Jim Harbaugh have always been tied together, so it's interesting that their final decisions seem like they're totally separate and have no relation to each other. Harbaugh is leaving his Heisman runner-up quarterback with the Stanford Cardinal to head onto coach the San Francisco 49ers, so a lot of speculation seems amidst that Luck will now reconsider his decision and declare for the 2011 NFL Draft.

According to Andrew's father, nothing has changed with regards to his son's decision. Oliver Luck, the current AD at West Virginia, told ESPN's Joe Schad there was zero chance that he would reconsider his decision. Apparently Luck really is genuine in his appreciation for his education and his desire to finish his degree before declaring for the NFL Draft, and Luck wasn't making his decision to try and convince Harbaugh to come back (Luck knew there was a good chance Harbaugh would be gone, according to his dad, and was prepared for that).

NFL bottom-dwellers, better start reviewing your tape of Blaine Gabbert, Ryan Mallett and Cam Newton. The quarterback you've been dreaming about is still a year away.

Andrew Luck, Projected Number One Pick In 2011 NFL Draft, Returns To Stanford For Junior Season

The best quarterback in college football will remain the best quarterback in college football. Stanford Cardinal quarterback Andrew Luck is returning for his third season, where he will probably throw a perfect season in the Pac-10. NFL scouts are going to have to wait another year to salivate over the signalcaller in Palo Alto, as he appears to be quite content in continuing to develop as a quarterback, regardless of whether Jim Harbaugh returns or not as his head coach.

This is an incredibly risky move for the Cardinal quarterback economically. Jason Cole of Yahoo Sports reports that if the NFL has its way in restructuring their rookie salary scale to match the NBA’s, Luck stands to lose as much as $63 million and $45 million guaranteed under the new collective bargaining agreement the league is negotiating.

It appears that Luck doesn’t seem to care about financial incentives though. Jon Wilner reports that Luck wants to graduate and earn his degree in architectural design before turning pro.

Wow. A student-athlete at the premier position in all of sports actually taking into account the student part of his college experience. Who would have thought.

Harbaugh was right about his quarterback deciding to come back. It remains to be seen if he’ll be there to lead him next year.

Carolina Panthers Would Reportedly Pick Andrew Luck With First Pick In 2011 NFL Draft

If he declares his candidacy for the 2011 NFL Draft, Stanford Cardinal quarterback Andrew Luck will almost certainly end up in one place next season: The Carolina Panthers, according to sources of ESPN’s Pat Yasinskas. In the biggest no-brainer since LeBron James was being coveted by a cadre of NBA bottomfeeders, the Panthers seem ready to take their chance on a quarterback who’s at the height of his powers after a magnificent Orange Bowl performance that cemented his reputation.

For awhile, it was difficult to figure out whether the Panthers were willing to part with the quarterback they took in last year’s draft, Jimmy Clausen. Clausen struggled this season, but his team sort of stunk, so it’s hard to imagine him having any sort of discernible impact.

Luck brings a far greater upside though, and his second half shredding of Virginia Tech probably did more than enough to elevate him as the best quarterback prospect out of college since Peyton Manning. Whether Luck will be willing to make the plunge into a thankless situation in Carolina remains to be seen—the prospect of returning to Stanford to complete his degree still weighs heavily on Luck’s mind. It seems his options are narrowing (in contrast to his head coach Jim Harbaugh, whose options seem to keep on opening up).

Andrew Luck 2011 NFL Draft Watch: Jim Plunkett, John Elway, Stanford Quarterbacks Approve

Andrew Luck isn't the first great Stanford Cardinal quarterback--anyone remember a kid named John Elway? He won't even be the first ever number one pick if he decides to turn pro--that honor belongs to Heisman Trophy winner and two-time Super Bowl champion Jim Plunkett. Along with the old school Frankie Albert and John Brodie, they represent the class of Cardinal quarterbacks; all four are in the College Football Hall of Fame, and Luck could join them with another year in the collegiate ranks.

Despite that seniority though, Elway and Plunkett both greatly appreciate the talent Luck possesses. Ivan Maisel with this great report from the Orange Bowl that gathers the viewpoints from every living Stanford quarterback that played or plays in the pros.

Elway: To me, just looking at him, he's a guy that can win with his arm if he has to sit in the pocket or he can buy time with his legs. That's the complete guy. That's exactly what the NFL wants. He's big, physical, got good speed. He's running faster than he looks because he's so big. He's got the total package. In the NFL, you've got to beat people with your arm. He can do that. He can make that play that you can't coach.

Plunkett: One of the things you see, as he's dropping back, he makes up his mind quicker than another quarterback as he's reading the defense, and more often than not he goes to the right guy. His decision-making is really sharp. Whereas another quarterback might take a full second more to make that read, then it's too late.

Luck also appreciates what Elway and Plunkett have told him. He talked to ESPN's Andrea Adelson about the influence the two Cardinal greats have had on him. Check out the video below.

How does Luck's college numbers stack up to Plunkett and Elway?

Here's Plunkett's numbers.

Here's Elway's numbers.

And Luck?

It's safe to say that neither Plunkett nor Elway had a single season as effective as Luck had in 2010. He's a more accurate passer than Plunkett and possesses a better deep ball than Elway, and his scrambling ability isn't that shabby either.

Will it translate to a much faster NFL? It remains to be seen, but the praise is pouring in from all corners, and you'd figure Luck even meets half those expectations, he'll be a successful pro quarterback. And you have to shudder if he hits or exceeds them.

Andrew Luck 2011 NFL Draft Watch: Jim Harbaugh Believes Luck Will Return To Stanford

There aren’t many reliable sources in the football world, but the following two guys get generally get good information. First, Todd McShay has said he’s heard from plenty of people close to the situation that Stanford Cardinal quarterback Andrew Luck would like to return to Palo Alto and finish his junior season before declaring for the 2011 NFL Draft.

However, Peter King did McShay one better. He got Luck’s head coach to admit that his pupil was leaning toward one more year.

I said to Harbaugh Sunday that I’d heard the Luck family (his dad, Oliver Luck, is a former NFL quarterback) was concerned with the fact that drafted players, because of the prospect of a protracted work stoppage, might not even see their playbook or start practice ‘til Labor Day — or later. If that’s the case, why wouldn’t Luck stay for his fourth year at Stanford and play, whether Harbaugh (who is rumored to be a candidate for both pro and college head-coaching jobs after turning around the Cardinal) is there to coach him or not?

“I don’t think that’s the correct logic,‘’ Harbaugh told me from his home in northern California. "But I do think it’s more likely he’d come back. If I had to bet one way or the other, I’d bet he’s coming back. He loves college. He loves the college life. He’s such a good kid — and so smart. He’s got a 3.5 GPA in Architectural Engineering, and all along his plan has been to go to college for four years, get his degree, then figure out what to do with his life. This is a kid who has a plan. And he’s a kid who’s not the big-man-on-campus type. He just fits in.’’

Now, in a normal year, it wouldn’t make much sense for Luck to come back—he’s the de facto number one pick, and you should NEVER pass up on that opportunity to get a degree in anything—the door will always be open for Luck to return and complete his degree. The door isn’t always open on a starting NFL position, which he is almost assured of earning from day one the moment he’s drafted. The potential work stoppage and possible reduction of the rookie salary scale does throw a wrench into that conventional line of thinking.

On the other hand, Luck returning to Stanford would have its benefits. The Cardinal would immediately vault to the top of the national radar and be considered legitimate BCS title contenders, regardless of whether Harbaugh returned or not. He would likely be the best quarterback in the country—at the moment he’s well above the talent and intelligence level of junior guys like Ryan Mallett of Arkansas, Blaine Gabbert of Missouri, Nick Foles of Arizona. Even though it might not be the smartest financial decision, a gamer like Luck might recognize the benefits of spending one more year in the college ranks, It certainly sounds better than getting turned loose on a team like the Carolina Panthers, who are probably a ways from contending for anything.

Who knows what factors will eventually figure into Luck’s decision, but don’t expect it to be anything conventional.

Andrew Luck 2011 NFL Draft Watch: Will The Stanford Quarterback Declare?

According to almost every pro scout out there, Luck is by far the best quarterback prospect this year, despite only being a sophomore signal-caller. His mental acumen and physical talents simply separate him from every other quarterback in the draft. Jake Locker of the Washington Huskies was supposedly going to be that guy, but a mediocre senior season knocked him from that honor. Also trailing are Ryan Mallett from the Arkansas Razorbacks, Christian Ponder of the Florida St. Seminoles, and Heisman Trophy winner Cameron Newton of the Auburn Tigers.

Luck has stated he would like to complete his degree at Stanford before moving onto the pros; it's not known if he'll graduate in time for the 2011 NFL season, raising doubts as to whether or not he'll declare and wait for the 2012 NFL Draft. Interestingly, Locker was in all likelihood going to be competing for the number one spot in the NFL Draft last season, but he decided to stay back an extra season and saw his stock take a hit. Would Luck be willing to take the same risk?

Additionally, his fate may be tied to that of his head coach Jim Harbaugh and what he decides to do this season (you can follow any important Harbaugh updates on our SB Nation Bay Area storystream dedicated to that topic). If Harbaugh returns, it would make sense for Luck to come back and make a run at the national championship; if he leaves, it would make just as much sense for him to go.

There are sure to be plenty of developments on the biggest draft story of 2011.