Any questions about Andrew Luck’s athleticism should have been erased when he hauled in a one-handed pass along the sidelines during the 2011 season.
But the underwear Olympics have revealed another level to Luck’s physical abilities. His numbers in running and jumping drills measure up favorably with last year’s first overall pick, Cam Newton, as demonstrated by a graphic displayed moments ago on NFL Network by Rich Eisen and Mike Mayock.
As MDS pointed out earlier in the day, each guy ran the 40-yard dash in 4.59 seconds. That matches Newton’s best time from 2011. On Sunday, Luck sprang 36 inches vertically -- that’s one inch higher than Newton 52 weeks ago. In the broad jump, Luck covered 124 inches. Newton flew for 126.
From a stature standpoint, Luck isn’t all that much smaller. He’s six-four to Newton’s six-five, and Luck weighs 234 pounds. Newton tipped the scales at 248.
Of course, Robert Griffin III may be more athletic than either of them. Which could compel the Colts to take a much closer look at whether Luck is the right choice with the first overall pick.