All of the college football betting talk was around the potential for Stanford Cardinal quarterback Andrew Luck to make the jump to the National Football League as the No. 1 overall pick in the 2011 NFL Draft. The Carolina Panthers clinched that selection a couple of weeks ago following a two-win season, and made their intentions to select the Heisman trophy runner up with the top pick. Sources from within the organization leaked their intent on making Luck the first pick in the draft, most likely with the idea that it would influence him to pass on his final year of eligibility and make the move to the professional level. However, on Thursday Luck made the decision that he will go back to Stanford for one more year in order to complete his education. Some feel that Luck made a good move, others that it is a huge mistake. Only time will tell which side is right, but here’s a quick look at both of the online sports betting sides. Luck Made The Right Decision The junior signal-caller told reporters that he is on track to earn his degree in architectural design, and that since he will have completed that goal by the spring of 2012, there is no reason not to compete for another football betting season in a Cardinal uniform. This is about much more than maturity, as Luck’s decision comes under the burden of a couple of key obstacles that would stand in his way of enjoying a successful transition if he decided to declare. The first problem, was that although the Panthers made their intentions to draft him first overall, there is no reason why the college star would want to go to the Panthers anyway. There is no coach in place, a severe lack of talent, and there is no way Luck wasn’t paying attention to what happened to Jimmy Clausen in his first year with the club. On top of the fact that he would not necessarily want to be beaten up behind the Panthers’ offensive line, the potential labor strike that looms in the NFL could keep him out of football for at least a year anyway. Luck Made The Wrong Decision Sometimes players don’t always get the sports betting bonus luck that they were hoping for, and that could very well be the case for Luck if he stays another year. Although the Panthers aren’t the best choice and there is the possibility of a lockout, he could very well end up with no choice if he suffers a significant injury playing for the Cardinal next season. This is a case where millions of dollars could go unclaimed if Luck does not make it to the 2012 NFL draft healthy, and if the potential labor stoppage results in a rookie wages scale, Luck could miss out on even more money. The fact remains that the decision not to move on is a huge risk, and only time will tell if it will pay off.
