Colts to take Andrew Luck #1 in NFL Draft

Indianapolis - The Indianapolis Colts are hoping to make the horseshoe on their helmets lucky again by drafting Stanford QB Andrew Luck in April's NFL Draft.

Experts are almost in complete agreement that the best fit to take Peyton Manning's place in Indy is Andrew Luck, and according to ESPN, the team has officially announced they will draft Luck with the first pick in the NFL draft. However, IndyStar.com is reporting that Colts owner Jim Irsay is refuting the claim, along with any rumors about how they are handling Manning's situation. Manning is owed $28 million come March, and many experts are saying that the Colts cannot afford both Luck and Manning. It has been rumored that Irsay and Manning are discussing moving the March 8 deadline for picking up Manning's contract option, but Irsay posted this tweet to his Twitter account: “There has been no discussion of a deadline push,n just like '98 with Manning/Leaf..u have 2 go thru a long,disciplined process of evaluation." This controversy might have been avoided had Indianapolis played better this season. Neck surgery sidelined Manning, and the team went 2-14, winning two of their last three games after going 0-13. Three quarterbacks started in place of Manning, including free agents Dan Orlovsky and Kerry Collins, who was plucked from retirement. Backup QB Curtis Painter got most of the starts. The team ranked 30th in total offense and total offensive yards, 27th in passing yards, and 28th in total offensive touchdowns, which are team lows in the Manning era. Andrew Luck started for the Stanford Cardinals for the 2009-2011 seasons, amassing 9,430 passing yards, 82 touchdowns and 22 interceptions. In the 2011 season he chalked up 37 touchdowns, 10 interceptions, and 3,517 yards, leading Stanford to an 11-2 record and a trip to the Fiesta Bowl. The NFL Draft is scheduled for April 26-28.