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Andrew Luck sweepstakes: Colts have inside track over Rams

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Andrew Luck, the Stanford quarterback who is presumed to be the consensus No. 1 NFL draft selection next spring, will be going to Indianapolis or St. Louis, the last teams standing in the sweepstakes.

Minnesota is no longer a possible destination after the Vikings’ 33-26 victory over Washington on Saturday. Because the Vikings’ schedule was stronger than those played by the Colts or Rams, Minnesota can’t select first if all three teams finish 3-13 after next week’s games.

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The Colts have the inside track if they lose at Jacksonville (4-11) next Sunday, but that isn’t a guarantee since Indianapolis has won two in a row, including a victory over Houston on Thursday. Indianapolis would likely take Luck since quarterback Peyton Manning, a four-time MVP and future Hall of Famer, has missed the entire season with a neck injury.

The Rams will get the No. 1 pick if Indianapolis beats Jacksonville and they lose at home to San Francisco, which is still playing for the No. 2 seeding and a first-round bye in the NFC playoffs.

If St. Louis gets the pick, expect a shopping frenzy to ensue since the Rams took quarterback Sam Bradford with their first selection in the 2010 draft.

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Luck, who returned to Stanford this fall despite knowing he would’ve been among the top picks last spring when Carolina selected quarterback Cam Newton with the No. 1 pick, is considered the most NFL-ready of a slew of quarterbacks to enter the league recently, including Andy Dalton of Cincinnati, Christian Ponder of Minnesota, Blaine Gabbert of Jacksonville, Tim Tebow of Denver, Bradford and Newton.

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