As the Indianapolis Colts announce the release of Peyton Manning today at a press conference scheduled for 11am CT, the team is also poised to find their new star at quarterback soon enough with the first overall selection in the 2012 NFL Draft. Andrew Luck is the obvious choice and every mock draft reflects that line of thinking.
But that’s only the beginning for the dominance of Stanford in the first round of most mock drafts. The Kansas City Chiefs are the next to chose a Stanford prodouct in the latest mock from Drafttek with the selection of David DeCastro at No. 11 overall:
DeCastro had a strong combine that confirmed that he may be the best offensive line prospect in the draft. While OT remains the most likely position to be selected by the Chiefs, there are other options. DeCastro has an amazing skill set. He is big, strong, and agile, with great fundamentals. He also has that “Merlin approved” mean streak. Plus, his leadership skills are excellent, and coming from Stanford, he is very intelligent. It is no wonder that he is considered the best Guard prospect since Steve Hutchinson. Essentially, he will lock down an offensive line spot for ten plus years at most likely a Pro Bowl level at worst. Is that worth the #11 pick in the draft? If Scott Pioli does not like the Offensive Tackles on the board, the answer could very well be ‘Yes’.
Even after this, Jonathan Martin, Stanford’s left tackle, is chosen at No. 13 by the Arizona Cardinals, giving Stanford three of the top 13 choices in the draft. Yet even then there are other options, including Coby Fleener, who could become the first overall tight end selected off the board.