NFL draft: Who will have a better season, Andrew Luck or RG3?

L.A. Times Archives

April 24, 2012 12 AM PT

Monday we asked which of the two players everyone assumes will go 1-2 in the NFL draft -- Stanford’s Andrew Luck and Baylor’s Robert Griffin III-- will have a better pro career.

So far, Luck has the edge with 38% of the vote (followed by both successful with 31%, Griffin with 22% and both disappointments with 9%).

So that’s the long-term prognosis -- today we will look at the short term. Which of the two will have the best rookie season in the NFL? The Indianapolis Colts already have stated they will be taking Luck at No. 1 overall, and the Washington Redskins will stun the world if they don’t use the No. 2 pick on RG3.

Writers from around the Tribune Co. will be discussing the topic throughout the day. Join the conversation by voting in the poll and leaving a comment of your own.

Sam Farmer, Los Angeles Times

Robert Griffin III will have a better rookie season because he’ll be surrounded by a better supporting cast. The Redskins have a better-than-respectable defense, and an offense that’s primed to succeed with a double-threat quarterback like RG3, especially with his drop-it-in-a-bucket accuracy on deep passes.

That’s not to say Luck is the wrong choice for the Colts. He should eventually round into an elite NFL quarterback. It’s just that the Colts have been stripped to the framing and need to rebuild. Remember, Peyton Manning had 28 interceptions his rookie year and his team finished 3-13. Luck will have lots of leeway in his first season. This draft could be an ultra-rare one in which quarterbacks were selected 1-2 and both went on to play at a high level.

Dan Pompei, Chicago Tribune

Andrew Luck is as NFL ready as any player in the draft. He is more NFL ready than Robert Griffin, and if everything is equal Luck should be better faster. Luck played at a high level for four years compared to one for Griffin. He went 31-7 as a starter.

Griffin played in a spread offense at Baylor. He will have to adjust to taking snaps under center and playing in a pro-style offense. He also will have to learn to go through progressions. In college, he tended to lock onto a primary receiver, according to one front office man. If the primary was covered, Griffin would take off. He isn’t going to make Mike Shanahan happy if he’s doing that in Washington. The only way Griffin is the better player quicker is if his team is considerably better than Luck’s.

Matt Vensel, Baltimore Sun

Andrew Luck is the better prospect and will ultimately be the better quarterback in Indianapolis, but there is no question that Robert Griffin III is stepping into a better situation as a rookie in D.C.

Colts owner Jim Irsay has preached patience as he rebuilds the franchise from the ground up. A pathetic offensive line must be beefed up, there isn’t much talent at the skill positions for Luck to work with and new Coach Chuck Pagano will overhaul the defense from a finesse 4-3 unit built to protect large leads into a nasty, physical 3-4 defense that mirrored the one he ran in Baltimore.

Meanwhile, Griffin gets better receivers to target on those bootlegs and waggles, the makings of a reliable running game and a Redskins defense that’s a lot better than last year’s stats indicate (blame Rex Grossman and John Beck). RG3 will be all over NFL highlights starting in Week 1.

But it’s Luck who is more likely to lead his team to the trophy. Fans will just have to wait awhile.