For most 2012 NFL Mock Draft types the first two picks have been settled since the moment the St. Louis Rams traded the No. 2 overall pick—and Robert Griffin III—to the Washington Redskins. But over at ESPN, Wednesday was devoted to a truly strange counterfactual: Could the Indianapolis Colts pick Robert Griffin III over Andrew Luck?
Well, yes, legally. But probably not. I have to admit I find the reasoning—which literally includes the suggestion that if they draft Griffin he'll have a lot to prove, which will make him a better player—flimsy at best. Here's the reason the Colts will select Andrew Luck: They dumped Peyton Manning, the best quarterback in the history of football, to draft him.
I suppose it's possible that the Colts dumped Peyton Manning with the intent of signing either one of these guys, but I doubt it. The Colts believe in Luck, the Redskins believe in Robert Griffin, and it's hard to see those picks moving, no matter how much more interesting it would make our mock drafts.
More NFL Mock Draft coverage, handpicked by the mock-watchers at SB Nation St. Louis:
- If the Trent Richardson-to-the-Cleveland-Browns rumors mean their chances of coming together are as sure-thing as Luck and Griffin's picks seem to be, the Rams will have lucked out.
- Because, scary as it seems, Justin Blackmon would also be a good fit with the Browns.
- What the Rams do will change things for all the draft's receivers—but especially Blackmon and Michael Floyd.