Andrew Luck started to study NFL quarterbacks a year and a half ago, once he knew that he was headed for the pros. Luck's list of quarterbacks to model his game after was quite specific and targeted.
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The list: Drew Brees, Peyton Manning, Philip Rivers and Ben Roethlisberger.
Big Ben's placement on the list is the most surprising. Luck had no idea he would be learning under Ben's favorite tutor Bruce Arians when Luck reached the pros.
"He's just a tough guy when you watch him play," Luck told Paul Burmeister and Michael Lombardi Tuesday on NFL Network's "Inside Training Camp Live." "He makes so many plays when things seem to break down. You know he always seems to have the right instincts at the right moment and to see how he operates sort of under duress and pressure is fun."
It's not a crazy comparison at all. Luck's athleticism is so underrated it's almost not underrated any more. He has the big frame and ability to escape tacklers just like Roethlisberger. Luck's combine numbers mirrored Cam Newton's from last year.
The Colts hope Luck can give them the best of both worlds. Combine the accuracy and intelligence of Manning or Rivers, along with the improvisational skills of Roethlisberger, and you might just have the perfect 2012 NFL quarterback.
