Andrew Luck laughs from his throne at the other quarterbacks vying for any position of influence. That’s how it seems, at least, in every quarterback ranking (or even player ranking list) for that matter when it comes to the 2012 NFL Draft. Mel Kiper of ESPN just released his latest Big Board of his top 25 players eligible for the draft and he has Luck at the top with the rising Heisman winner Robert Griffin III of Baylor now neck in neck with USC’s Matt Barkley, long believed to be the second best quarterback in the draft.
Kiper writes about Barkley, who is his No. 6 player, “Faces a tough decision. Closed the year remarkably well. Accurate and showing growth year-to-year. Throwing a better ball and throws it really well on the move. Good, not great, arm. Pro-style skills are valued, even as offenses change.”
As for Griffin, he is now No. 7 overall and could take Barkley in the next release of Kiper’s list. He writes, “Not buying any talk he'd be higher on some boards than Luck, but his elite athleticism and altered delivery has resulted in better accuracy on downfield throws. Great kid, underrated passer. No ill effects from 2009 knee injury. Remarkable numbers. ”
In the past, Griffin was believed to have significantly lower stock before his Heisman win, which meant a team like the Chiefs could have still had him within reach. Now the only candidate likely to drop to the middle of the first round is Landry Jones of Oklahoma, who hasn’t impressed many people with the year he’s had. It’s likely the Chiefs stick with offensive or defensive line when it’s their turn in April.