“He (Luck) has got a great start,” said Texans coach Gary Kubiak, who was been watching Luck since his high school days.
BY MICHAEL MAROT | THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
INDIANAPOLIS — A poster hanging outside Lucas Oil Stadium still bears the image of Peyton Manning.
Inside the house Manning built, the discussion is all about his successor.
On Friday, Andrew Luck and Robert Griffin III finally got a chance to start making their pitches to be this year’s No. 1 draft pick and supplant Manning as the face of the Colts’ franchise though neither is ready to push him aside yet.
“Peyton was my hero growing up, he was my football hero, he’s who I modeled myself after in high school and middle school. You never truly replace a guy like that,” Luck said at the NFL’s scouting combine. “If I had the opportunity to learn from a guy like that, of course you’re going to take advantage of that, absolutely.”
One of the top two quarterbacks in this year’s draft may not have a choice about whether he plays or sits in 2012.
After going a league-worst 2-14, the Colts won the lottery ticket for the Andrew Luck sweepstakes, and team owner Jim Irsay has already said he intends to use the No. 1 overall pick on Indy’s next big franchise quarterback.
Presumably, that quarterback’s portrait will wind up on the wall of the same venue both are expected to participate in some of Sunday’s workouts.
Who will it be?
Luck met with Colts quarterback coach Clyde Christensen on Thursday night and will undoubtedly see more of the Colts staff this weekend. Griffin has already met with Philadelphia and has meetings scheduled with Kansas City and Cleveland, a team that may be looking to swap picks with St. Louis to take Griffin.
Coaches and general managers believe Luck, like Manning in 1998, is the more polished prospect.
“He (Luck) has got a great start,” said Texans coach Gary Kubiak, who was been watching Luck since his high school days.