Here’s a hint: You don’t need a hint.

On Tuesday, GM Ryan Grigson confirmed that Andrew Luck will be the team’s No. 1 overall draft pick, days after they reportedly informed the former Stanford Cardinal of their decision.

Luck will join Indianapolis’ offseason program after he graduates on June 7, coach Chuck Pagano said.

As expected, Heisman-winner Robert Griffin III won’t be too far behind, as the Redskins will take the dynamic signal-caller with the second-overall selection.

Surprised? Didn’t think so. The real intrigues begins at No. 3, when the Vikings are on the clock.

Citing a league source, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports Indianapolis has informed Andrew Luck they’ll draft him with the No. 1 overall selection in next Thursday’s draft.

Despite a bit of gamesmanship by owner Jim Irsay and GM Ryan Grigson, who both played this situation close to the vest, the Colts have “known for weeks” that Luck would be the selection, and a player the club “wants to rebuild around.”

“We’ve known for a little while. We’ve done all our due diligence,” Grigson said during a 30-minute news conference. “Unless there’s an unforeseen problem or something like that, we know what we’re doing.”

Irsay recently flirted with the idea of bucking conventional wisdom by instead drafting Heisman-winner Robert Griffin III. But that was never a realistic outcome as Luck has long been projected to don the horseshoe, whereas Griffin will head to the Redskins after they moved up to No. 2 overall in a blockbuster deal.

After observing their offseason activity, the Kansas City Star notes the Chiefs “haven’t seem sold” on Cassel, and are sending “mixed signals” on what they plan to do at the quarterback position.

Coach Romeo Crennel didn’t exactly give him a glowing endorsement, either, saying he needs to improve his “consistency,” which has long been an Achilles heel of Cassel’s. In February, Crennel gushed over the possibility of signing Peyton Manning, an overture that almost brought tampering charges upon the organization.

Cassel’s seat looked to cool down a bit after Kyle Orton signed with the Cowboys, and the Chiefs brought in Brady Quinn to be the primary clipboard holder instead. Quinn is a career backup who no team has entrusted as its starter, so it’s a stretch to think he can climb up the depth chart.

The Star believes the Chiefs could select Texas A&M’s Ryan Tannehill in this month’s draft, assuming he gets by the other quarterback-needy clubs in the top ten.

Though he conducted a private work out for the Chiefs, Tannehill is the reported to be the apple of both the Browns and Dolphins’ eye, who pick at No. 4 and No. 8, respectively. Kansas City, sitting at No. 11, will likely have to trade up to secure his services.

In recent years, the Chiefs have disregarded first-round signal-callers, passing on Joe Flacco, Josh Freeman, and Mark Sanchez when given the opportunity. They’ve instead went with Cassel, their $63 million investment, who threw for 1713 yards, 10 touchdowns, and nine interceptions in 2011 before a broken hand prematurely ended his campaign.

Obviously, nothing is yet set in stone, but the trend they’ve set for themselves might come to an end in a mere 18 days.

George Whitfield Jr., whose worked closely with Luck as his private quarterbacks coach, told the Indianapolis Star that the consensus No. 1 overall pick in this month’s draft is “far from a finished product” as he continues to perfect his mechanics.

“Let me tell you: He’s far from a finished product,” Whitfield said. “He’s very far along, but there are still things he’s working on mechanically and there are lots of things he’ll get better at by being in the NFL. People are now seeing him throw those intermediate and perimeter passes, and those are throws he’s been dying to make. You don’t think (Stanford coach) David Shaw didn’t want to make more of those perimeter throws or go downtown more during the season? But look at Stanford’s skill position guys. You can only spend within the budget you have.

“But he’s athletic. He’s cat quick. He’s strong. People are saying he’s a prototypical pocket passer, like they’re putting him in this category. But there’s a lot more he can do.”

Though Whitfield believes Luck still has a ways to go, he warns the Colts they’d be making a grave mistake if they instead selected Robert Griffin III, who Indy owner Robert Irsay recently hinted could stunningly be the pick.

“If they over-think this, they’re going to make a mistake they’ll regret for years,” he said.

Shifting gears to a more positive overture, Whitfield used a creative analogy to describe his pupil.

“He’s constantly being categorized as being safe, the sure thing, almost to the point where it’s a negative like there’s a ceiling, no apparent way for him to get better,” Whitfield added. “It’s like they’re describing a girl you’ve never seen as smart, witty, funny, consistent, without saying anything about her physically. It almost feels like they’re looking at him as the guy with the least amount of negatives.”

And much of what he’s saying is very true. Luck has been regarded as the best quarterback prospect since Peyton Manning, his probable predecessor in Indianapolis, and a once-in-a-generation type of player. Whether that’s true or not remains to be seen, but the accolades are certainly there.

For what it’s worth, Bob Kravitz, who wrote this column for the Star, guarantees there will be no surprises on draft day.

“It’s going to be Luck, people. It won’t be official until the Colts hand the card to the NFL people the night of the April 26 draft, but it might as well be official,” Kravitz said.

Griffin, the reigning Heisman-winner, may possess the superior physical gifts, but Luck is better equipped in almost every other facet, including his intangibles, which scouts have raved about for well over a year.

Both should go on to have exceptional NFL careers, though I — and most others — tend to side with Kravitz: Luck will be the guy.

Irsay told USA Today that “it’s not a forgone conclusion” Luck will be drafted as Indianapolis’ next franchise quarterback, with Robert Griffin III also an enticing option.

“It’s up in the air,” Irsay said. “We have to look at this thing completely open-minded.

“You have two outstanding athletes, two great pure passers, two guys from families that are incredible.”

Although the team’s braintrust haven’t made up its mind yet, Irsay indicated negotiations could factor into their franchise-altering decision.

“If we get to the point where we’re going to negotiate early, get something done before the draft, you never rule that out,” Irsay said. “We’ve talked to both agents. We haven’t negotiated yet.”

For the better part of two years, Luck has been linked to the Colts as Peyton Manning’s successor, which various scouts and media pundits still foresee taking place. However, there’s been recent speculation suggesting Irsay may shock everyone by drafting the Heisman-winner instead, after a terrific combine and pro day had many wondering if RGIII should leapfrog Luck.

Griffin may possess the superior physical gifts, but Luck is said to be the safer pick, a sure-thing prospect that embodies everything you look for in a signal-caller, especially one you expect to be there for 10, 12, even 14 years.

More likely than not, Irsay is simply playing this close to the vest, probably as a negotiating tactic, making it just a matter of time until Luck officially dons the horseshoe, and we can finally put this quandary to bed.

On Sunday, Luck posted an unofficial time of 4.59 in the 40-yard dash, identical to what Newton ran in 2011, down to the millisecond.

Don’t believe me? Take a gander for yourself.

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In fact, Luck’s overall showing at the Combine was just as good as the Under Armour spokesman’s.

The former Stanford Cardinal recorded a 36-inch vertical jump and a 10-foot-4 broad jump, the best among this years crop of quarterbacks and just as impressive as Cam’s measureables from a year ago.

Now, to be clear, Luck is far from a speed demon, unlike Robert Griffin III, who amazed scouts and coaches (and the NFL Network crew) by running a blazing 4.38 forty.

However, the Colts’ probable pick did nothing but increase his astronomical stock at Lucas Oil Stadium.

[Photo: Joe Robbins / Getty Images]

Citing a team source, Michael Silver of Yahoo! Sports reports the Colts have already decided that Andrew Luck — not Robert Griffin III — will be their pick at No. 1 overall.

“Luck is The Guy. I don’t care what happens [at the combine]. I don’t care if Griffin flies,” the source said.

It may be so due to owner Jim Irsay, for it was he — sources say — who “implored” then-team president Bill Polian to select Peyton Manning over Ryan Leaf as the top pick in the 1998 draft.

If new general manager Ryan Grigson is swayed toward RG3, Irsay is again likely to “step in and overrule that, too.”

It’s still too early to say anything is definitive, but the Colts and Luck have long been joined at the hip, with several reports over the last few months stating the former Stanford Cardinal is far and away the favorite to take over in Indy.

Although Griffin is an equally talented prospect in his own right, the Colts like Luck’s prototypical build and leadership abilities, and the comparisons he’s drawing to the man he’d be succeeding is more reason for Irsay to fall in love all over again.

Some mocks have Luck landing with the Colts at No. 1 overall, while other prognosticators project Griffin III in the same spot. This will inevitably change dozens of times between now and late April.

However, there seems to be a consensus among those in the NFL whose opinion actually, you know, counts. They’ve seen enough thus far to give the nod to the former Stanford Cardinal.

Of 15 scouts and coaches surveyed by Yahoo! Sports’ Jason Cole since last month’s Senior Bowl, 14 said they would take Luck with the top pick.

The “overall feeling” is that Luck will be the “safest” choice, due in part to passing the eye test with impressive physical attributes. Execs around the league also appreciate the intangible qualities — leadership and intelligence — he brings to the table.

“At the end of the day, Luck just feels like a better choice,” Cole added.

Nothing too earth-shattering here. Luck has long been viewed as a once-in-a-generation talent, and, ironically enough, the best quarterback prospect since the Hall of Famer he’d receive the torch from.

That’s not to take anything away from RG3, equally as incredible in his own way. The reigning Heisman Trophy-winner is the duel threat, a player capable of hurting you through the air or on the ground. He’s a lock to go in the top-five, and possibly as high as No. 2 to the Rams, who could auction the pick off to more a needy team.

It’s just obvious that Luck is the more prototypical QB, and, by comparison to Peyton, potentially Canton-bound. These players don’t come around too often.

Though it’s still early, it’d be pretty shocking if this “goober”, “neck beard” (he seriously needs better nicknames) isn’t the Colts’ man.

However, if you think Stanford sensation Andrew Luck is a shoo-in for the honor, you may be mistaken.

In his weekly ’10 Spot’ column for ESPN.com, NFL insider Adam Schefter noted that “a handful of NFL scouts” prefer Baylor’s Robert Griffin III to Luck.

Luck, who’s being hailed by some as the best QB prospect since John Elway, has long been considered the odds-on favorite to succeed Peyton Manning in Indy.

In a recent interview with ESPN’s Hannah Storm, team owner Jim Irsay all but confirmed that a quarterback will indeed be their pick, though choosing between the two won’t be an easy task.

“The way it’s shaping up — and you never know for sure — but with Griffin and with Luck, and the way it’s shaping up in the top part of that draft, which very likely could go one and two like it was with Peyton and Ryan Leaf, where we had to make a tough decision.

“It’s most likely one of those quarterbacks that you really feel (is) the best player in the draft, and where we’re at moving forward, you can’t pass that up.”

While Luck is an immensely talented player, Griffin, the reigning Heisman Trophy winner, offers a Michael Vick-like skill set, capable of burning a defense both through the air and on the ground.

Even if the Colts don’t bite, it would be an absolute stunner if Griffin was still on the board after the first five picks. He probably won’t end up in St. Louis or Minnesota, who each have franchise-level signal-callers already on their respective rosters.

The Browns are the real team to watch, as they have a definite need at the position and the necessary ammo to move up from their No. 4 spot to acquire RGIII.

In a postgame interview following OSU’s 41-38 overtime win over Andrew Luck and Stanford, Blackmon officially declared for the 2012 NFL draft, foregoing his last eligible year.

“I think I’m gonna go ahead and enter the draft and see what happens after that,” Blackmon said.

Blackmon’s 186 yards and three touchdowns helped lift the Cowboys over the No. 4 Cardinal in a wild contest. He finishes his dazzling junior campaign with 121 receptions, 1523 yards and 18 touchdowns.

A two-time winner of the Fred Biletnikoff Award, Blackmon cemented his position as the top receiver in the upcoming draft class.

With a stock that’ll be booming heading into next month’s Combine, Blackmon is a surefire top-ten draft selection, and may even go earlier — ala Julio Jones in 2011.