RG3 or Andrew Luck?

I appreciate you digging a little deeper than the conventional “more TDs, more yards, fewer INTs”.

The first four points you raise can be answered by one name: Kendall Wright. Seriously. Look at his highlights, look at his stats, and then try to find one time this season when any Stanford receiver beat any defensive back on a fly route. Kendall Wright does that routinely. Having that kind of receiver boosts completion %, YPA, total yardage, TDs, QB rating, and a whole bevy of other stats. For fun, take away Kendall Wright’s stats from Griffin’s totals, and Coby Fleener’s stats from Luck’s. Watch what happens.

Interceptions are a product of having receivers who can’t get separation and who bobble the ball off their hands. I’ve only seen Luck throw one or two bad interceptions this season, over half of his picks were his receivers failing to make a catch or box out the defensive back.

Rushing stats….yeah. Well, if Luck were a Division 1 track athlete, he’d probably have pretty good rushing stats too. He’s still extremely mobile, though. Most of his touchdowns have come on rollouts, he’s scrambled efficiently (fewest negative plays from scrimmage of nearly any quarterback this season), and he can get the yards on his feet when he needs too.

One final note: I really get tired of the “Sure, Luck is a better prospect who will be drafted higher, will produce at the elite NFL level, and in general is the heir apparent to Peyton Manning. But he’s not the best college player.” What? Is there a mysterious set of skills which just materialize once a player has his name called on Draft Day? Do pro scouts look at a quarterback and go “Hmmm…he’s not very good right now, but he’ll definitely be the best prospect since John Elway”? Or, is there a slim chance that Luck will be picked #1 overall because he’s the best collegiate player in America, with a skill set that will translate perfectly to the NFL?