Rookie Watch: Luck is special

Whom else could I have chosen for the first profile of this series? Andrew Luck is a machine. He is a very big man for the quarterback position with better strength than many of his fellow NFL starting quarterbacks and also better wheels than most playing the position around the league.

His fastball might not compare to Jay Cutler's or Joe Flacco's, but he changes speeds like a master pitcher and can more than adequately drive the ball into tight spaces. Luck also does a very nice job of putting the ball exactly where it needs to be to allow his receiver to make added yardage after the catch.

But like his predecessor at the position in Indianapolis, Luck's greatest asset is his mind. Nothing is too big for him. He is already looking off safeties and manipulating coverage. This is a special player. And his situation is reminiscent of the Yankees' center field job when Mickey Mantle took over for Joe DiMaggio.

So as I take my first crack at ranking the top-10 rookies for 2012, Luck is the obvious choice at No. 1. He's followed by two other quarterbacks, both of whom will start on opening day.

Here's the full list:

To see the rest of Matt Williamson's rankings of the top NFL rookies, you must be an ESPN Insider.

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