How Luck reminds of Peyton Manning

In the 14 years since Peyton Manning made his mark in Knoxville for the Tennessee Volunteers, I have not seen a college quarterback measure up to Peyton's standards and skill set -- until now. Stanford Cardinal QB Andrew Luck has the same prototypical size, the same durable build and the same refined, over-the-top delivery that equal Peyton's as a draft-day prospect.

And there are even a few ways in which Luck's college numbers and talents are more impressive than Manning's when he was coming out of college, most notably his athleticism. Luck doesn't have the kind of foot speed to make a living scoring touchdowns at the next level (although he's done a good job of that in college, recording six rushing touchdowns and a 6.9 yards per carry average), but it could nonetheless turn some heads when he works out for NFL scouts (Stanford has recorded a 4.67 laser-timed 40 for him, and a former coach and a former teammate both told me they think he'll run in the 4.6 range when he comes out for the draft). Luck possesses the athleticism and strength in his legs to improvise, extend plays and convert third-down scampers into first downs, something more reminiscent of John Elway than Manning.

Luck has also posted slightly better passing numbers during his collegiate career than Manning did during his (and he'll have the chance to increase that lead if he continues his pace this season):

To read Brock Huard's full take on Andrew Luck and how he compares to Peyton Manning, become an ESPN Insider today.

• Recommend0
• Email

Brock Huard

• Archive

Brock Huard is a college football analyst for ESPN and ABC's Saturday games on the West Coast, and also works as a studio analyst for the networks. He played quarterback for six seasons in the NFL and was a three-year starter for the Washington Huskies. Huard is the co-host of the Brock and Salk Show on ESPN 710 AM in Seattle, and he writes a weekly column for ESPN Insider during the college football season.