BTSC 2012 Community Mock Draft Pick No. 1 -- Indianapolis Colts Select Andrew Luck, QB, Stanford

This decision was not made easily.

I was swayed toward Baylor ultra-stud Robert Griffin III from one article to another; from one highlight reel to the next. The stock of Stanford's best QB since John Elway didn't fall in my mind as much as Griffin's increased.

Neither of these guys will fail in any kind of offense or system in which they're leading. Both will have a high amount of success in this league. I even went as far as to write a draft of Griffin becoming my No. 1 pick, the main reason behind that was really the only link the Colts have to the team I follow:

Bruce Arians.

Reading over scouting reports of Griffin, a few things stand out in my eyes: mobility, accuracy throwing on the run, not just ability, but desire to throw standing tall in the pocket with defenders in his face, leadership, confidence, unfinished product with great upside potential.

All buzz phrases we've read too often in our preparation for the 2012 NFL Draft. But it sure sounds a bit like Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger, doesn't it?

I know little of Colts coach Chuck Pagano as a man, or his offensive goals in his first season of head coaching in the NFL. I do know he hired Arians, and right quickly after his release from Pittsburgh and the filing of his retirement papers.

There had to be a reason, and while exposing this sentence to multiple quotes in the comments of this column followed by hurls of insults, the only logical reason is his success and rapport with Roethlisberger.

It's amazing how Griffin could become second-fiddle to anyone, considering his sparkling background of worldly success in both football and track. How does an athlete of his caliber excel on the gridiron as a pocket passer when he has the tools to become the next Randall Cunningham?

Perhaps there's a bit of a knock against his propensity to leave the pocket and search for receivers, but where would Roethlisberger be if he never left the pocket? It seems stubborn - Brad Childress-ish - to insist your quarterback follow his coaches lead on when to try to make a play and when to stand stationary to make a throw.

It's difficult to write this, because I can see it being very wrong, and obviously so very soon into the careers of both of these quarterbacks, but Luck may just be a better fit in an Arians-run offense. Or at least, Luck would be the one of the two of them to scheme an offense involving multiple players instead of just one.

Griffin may be Cam Newton 2.0 (3.0 even) in terms of accuracy and pure throwing mechanics, but Luck is more ready now, and for the new Colts organization, they aren't going to wait, nor do they have the talent to support a quarterback learning his trade.

Luck is the pick now, but I wouldn't be at all surprised if Griffin's name is at the top of the retro-drafts writers love to ink in "hindsight is 20/20 land" the year or two following each draft.