INDIANAPOLIS -- Top quarterback prospects Andrew Luck and Robert Griffin III didn't throw Sunday at the NFL Scouting Combine. They didn't need to.
Griffin was the talk of the day. It wasn't because he ran a 4.41 40-yard dash or posted a 39-inch vertical -- his athleticism never was in question -- but rather because he's the player of intrigue since it's a wrap the Colts will take Luck with the first overall selection in April's draft. That hay is all but in the barn, regardless of Peyton Manning's situation with the team. So the Rams, who hold the No. 2 pick, are unofficially on the clock and they fully expect teams to come fishing for the choice they have for sale in order to get Griffin.
Griffin did nothing over the past few days but help that cause. He performed as expected in the drills; he's been impressive in team interviews; he's had no problem doing the media junket at the combine. Luck has been far more low key because it's widely assumed he'll be the Colts quarterback next season. He actually was overshadowed by Griffin.
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Luck probably doesn't mind because anything he does or says -- especially in this city, in a stadium he's about to inhabit -- probably won't benefit him. At least not until the Manning situation resolves itself.
Still, what Luck did Sunday was about as impressive as Griffin and it further solidified him as The Dude. Luck ran a 4.67 40-yard dash, had a 36-inch vertical and was the top performer in four out of five drills among quarterbacks in his group (he was in a different group than Griffin). At 6-foot-4, 234, he showed he's athletic and well-conditioned. He was engaging with other players and frequently took time to meet up with Griffin during breaks to chat.
Luck carried himself like a franchise player. These are all things teams wanted to see -- and they saw them. There's only one team that matters, though, and the rest simply have to hope Luck doesn't turn out to be as good as Manning has been.
Floyd, Hill turn heads
Two wide receivers might have positioned themselves to make some money Sunday: Notre Dame's Michael Floyd and Georgia Tech's Stephen Hill.
We already knew about Floyd after his prolific career at Notre Dame. At 6-3, 220 pounds, he ran a 4.47 40 and looked clean in receiving drills. One NFC scout said he came through the interview process well and solidified his perch as one of the top two or three wide receivers in the draft. Floyd also capitalized on Oklahoma State wideout Justin Blackmon only doing select receiving drills -- he didn't run the 40 because of a "tender" hamstring.
One scout told me Floyd looked really impressive and based off everything teams have to work with, he could be the first receiver taken depending on their preference for a wideout in their scheme.
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We didn't know much about Hill before Sunday, in large part because he had just 28 receptions in Georgia Tech's option offense. We know about him know.
He ran the 40 in a blazing 4.36, which is impressive for someone 6-4, 215. He showed out in other drills as well. One AFC personnel evaluator told me he hadn't watched much video of Hill but that's now on his check list.
With the body type and because of where he went to school, comparisons will be drawn to Demaryius Thomas, the Broncos first-round draft pick two seasons ago. Thomas had similar big-play stats with a limited number of touches but there was little doubt he'd be a first-round pick. Hill, on speed alone and his ability to stretch the field, could move up some draft boards. If there was a team that was hoping to keep him a sleeper, he blew that cover Sunday.
Follow Steve Wyche on Twitter @wyche89
