Luck A Calming Presence At Colts First Minicamp

Andrew Luck and the 2012 rookie class completed their first minicamp practice this afternoon, and already teammates and coaches are lauding Luck's leadership, intelligence, and (interestingly) his calming presence.

The always entertaining Phil Wilson of the Indianapolis Star was at minicamp, and he got some interesting statements from TE Coby Fleener and WR T.Y. Hilton.

Receiver T.Y. Hilton, a third-round draft choice, admitted he was nervous but said Luck "settled me down."

Fleener said of his friend Luck, "He's the same Andrew. He's as brilliant as ever."

He said Luck was already calling plays "with like 30 words in them."

Head coach Chuck Pagano called Luck a "natural leader."

With so many comparison often made between Luck and former Colts QB Peyton Manning, it's also important to note some very key differences. One key difference comes from Hilton's comment about Luck settling him down. Peyton was always known for his intensity at practice as well as his disgust with players who did not match his level of effort. Manning was anything but calming. He played with an edge, and he held it against other players who did not.

Another interesting difference is Luck practiced today wearing a red jersey, which is a signal to defensive players that the player wearing that jersey is to receive no contact. Peyton Manning refused to wear red jerseys in practice during his stint in Indianapolis.

However, just as we note a difference between Manning and Luck, Tom James tweeted out this little bit of news:

When asked about wearing the red practice jersey, ALuck deferred to the coaching staff. It was apparent that he would rather not wear it.

— Tom James (@TribStarTJames) May 4, 2012

The comparisons will always be made mainly because there are so many of them.