9.
Andrew Luck, Indianapolis Colts
Luck
was worth the hype for the Colts, who reached the playoffs behind the tutelage
of their rookie quarterback, a season after finishing with the worst record in
the league. Luck is a sensational down-field passer and moves well in the
pocket. He can break off tackles and maintain his composure in the pocket when
defenders are rushing in. Even when the defense blitzes, Luck can break off
tackles and then find open receivers (similar to “Big Ben”) in a broken play.
Luck threw too many interceptions (18) in his rookie season, but his turnovers
will likely decrease with more experience in the league. He has been compared to the
likes of Tom Brady and Peyton Manning, the ultimate praise for an NFL
quarterback.
10.
Russell Wilson, Seattle Seahawks
Wilson
proved every analyst wrong with his improbable rookie season, leading the
Seahawks to the NFC Divisional Round. Wilson threw 26 touchdown passes, tying the
rookie record of future Hall-of-Famer Peyton Manning. Wilson accomplished this
feat, despite throwing a league-low 393 passes. Wilson’s deep pass is a huge
weapon and his threat to run poses problems for opposing defenses. Barring any
setbacks, Wilson should be a top-10 quarterback for a long time.
11.
Colin Kaepernick, San Francisco 49ers
Kaepernick
has only 10 NFL starts under his belt (7 regular season, 3 playoff contests),
yet he clearly possesses a special talent. Kaepernick is a nightmare to cover
for defenses because of his blazing speed and his bullet passes to his
receivers. His playoff performance in the NFC Divisional Round last playoffs was otherworldly
as he threw for 263 yards and rushed for 181 yards, putting the Green Bay Packers defense
to shame. Kaepernick has already appeared in one Super Bowl and given his
talent as a physical quarterback, we can expect to see him chasing Lomardi
Trophies throughout his career.
12.
Robert Griffin III, Washington Redskins
RG3
was as good as advertised in his rookie season, leading all quarterbacks with
815 rushing yards out of the read-option. RG3 delivers passes with immense
accuracy, recording the fourth-best completion percentage in the league (65.6
%) last season. He also takes care of the football at an otherworldly rate, firing a
league-low five interceptions. The league-wide question is how will RG3 recover
from his ACL tear? Will he still be the same forceful quarterback that can run
over a defense? RG3 knows he needs to protect his body more after suffering the
gruesome injury in last year’s playoffs. He is the face of the Redskins
franchise and cannot afford to be shelved on the injured list. RG3 relies on
his legs to dominate the game, so he will have to reprove his mobility to
opposing defenses. If RG3 plays at the same level as he did last year, we can
expect him to be one of the league’s most talented quarterback for years to
come.
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