A common statement made about Colts quarterback Andrew Luck is that he has "deceptive athleticism." That is, you don't think of him as a running threat but that he does indeed provide that.
Luck is best-known for his arm and the plays he can make through the air, but he has made his fair share of plays on the ground as well. In his NFL career so far, Luck has rushed 207 times for 1,005 yards and 12 scores, averaging 4.9 yards per rush. In fact, no quarterback other than Cam Newton has more rushing touchdowns than Luck since 2012 (Andy Dalton is tied with Luck with 12). Without a doubt, Luck can provide a threat with his legs - just don't call him deceptive.
"Not deceptive," Saints safety Kenny Vaccaro said this week about Luck, according to ESPN. "Just because he's white doesn't mean he's deceptive. He's actually a great athlete. He has all the tools that you ask for as a quarterback. Smart, big arm talent, can go through all his reads and he can run. So not deceptive, he's actually athletic."
Vaccaro makes a good point, one that I hope more people pay attention to - just because Andrew Luck isn't classified as the traditional "running quarterback" doesn't mean that when he runs it's a surprise or that the defense was fooled. Vaccaro and the Saints know that Luck can make plays on the ground, though he looks to make plays through the air first before tucking and running.
That's part of what makes Luck hard for opposing defenses to defend: Luck can make all of the plays through the air, but if you don't account for him in the running game, he'll take off and get a first down running the football. That dual-threat makes him even tougher to defend, which the Saints realize.
It's not just the Saints' defensive players who are impressed with Luck, however, as quarterback Drew Brees praised the Colts' young quarterback this week as well.
"I think he's a stud," Brees said, again according to ESPN's Mike Triplett. "He's got obviously all of the physical tools and mental tools, intangibles that you need to play this position and play at a high level and play for a long time. He can make every throw. He's a great athlete for his size and strength. He's very poised no matter what the situation. And he's won a lot of big games in the last few years. He's got a really bright future ahead of him."