After months of discussion by analysts and experts, the 2012 NFL Draft is underway, with the first round of picks coming to a close on Thursday (April 26). And, everything started with Andrew Luck, who was taken by the Indianapolis Colts with the #1 overall pick.

The former Stanford quarterback is the talk of the league now, as he has been named the heir to the throne Peyton Manning vacated when the Colts released him earlier this off-season.

“You don’t really replace a guy like that,” Luck said, following the announcement. “You can’t. You just try to do the best you can. Obviously, he was my hero growing up.

“I realize you could go crazy trying to measure yourself to Peyton Manning every day. That would be an insane way to live,” he later added. “I know his legendary status — really huge shoes to try and fill if you’re trying to do that. If one day I can be mentioned alongside Peyton as one of the football greats, that would be a football dream come true.”

Luck was chosen over Baylor QB/Heisman Trophy winner Robert Griffin III, who was taken second overall by the Washington Redskins, after the Skins acquired the pick weeks ago in a trade with the St. Louis Rams.

According to RG3, the Skins said they would’ve picked him over Luck, if they had the first pick.

“They said if Indianapolis would have traded with them and kept Peyton Manning, that they would have drafted me with the #1 overall pick,” Griffin told ProFootballTalk.com. “So it’s not a shot at anybody, it’s just that they’re the team that wanted me and they showed it in late February, and I’m glad to be part of the team.”

With new home in DC, the young QB says he looks forward to taking charge. “I’m going to go in, try to just show the guys that they can trust me instead of trying to be the most vocal guy out there. I am a rookie, and I realize that there are veterans out there who you have to respect, and I do respect them.”

Cleveland and Minnesota pulled off a trade less than an hour before the draft began, which basically resulted in each team switching positions in the draft. The Browns moved up just one spot, from fourth to third, to ensure getting running back Trent Richardson of national champion Alabama.

And, Minnesota received picks in the fourth, fifth and seventh rounds and still was in position to get one of the elite prospects in this draft. The Vikings stayed with their #4 pick, drafting left tackle Matt Kalil out of USC.

The Jacksonville Jaguars then moved up to #5 in a trade with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and selected Oklahoma State receiver Justin Blackmon. In exchange, where they dropped down two spots, the Bucs also received Jacksonville’s fourth-round pick (#101).

The Rams, who hoped to land Blackmon at #6, traded their pick to the Dallas Cowboys, who then selected cornerback Morris Claiborne from LSU instead. The Cowboys gave up the #14 overall pick and their second-rounder (#45) to move up eight spots.

The Bucs chose safety Mark Barron at #7; the Miami Dolphins selected Texas A&M quarterback Ryan Tannehill at #8; and linebacker Luke Kuechly was drafted by the Carolina Panthers at #9.

The Buffalo Bills rounded out the top 10 by taking South Carolina cornerback Stephon Gilmore.

Despite several trades and unexpected selections in the first round, the first two picks went as predicted.

Luck was previously predicted to go #1 in 2011, but chose to return to school for his fourth college season. He’s considered the best quarterback prospect since Manning, and now, as he replaces the former Colts franchise player, he’ll have a chance to prove that.

On the other hand, RG3 has been riding one helluva wave of success. He rocketed from fringe first-round pick a year ago to the Heisman Trophy winner, beating out Luck among others for the coveted award given to college football’s best player.

Read the full 2012 NFL Draft Round 1 results over at NFL.com.

As reported by BallerStatus

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