Leaf Metal football released this week, and much like last year, it looks like a solid pre-draft product. However, all the Andrew Luck cards will be done outside the normal means in which they SHOULD have been produced, but cannot be due to the awful Press Pass exclusive.

I am a big fan of this chrome style design, as I think Leaf definitely improved on their suprise hit from last year. Being that these are the first on card autos of the 2012 season, it is not a surprise how much the guys like RGIII and Justin Blackmon are selling for.

The funny thing is, Leaf’s cards hold their value a bit better than the counter parts from other completely unlicensed products like the aforementioned Press Pass and SAGE. Considering that this unwelcome Luck exclusive for unlicensed NFL related cards has knee capped the great things that would have happened in products like this, I am thinking it could really damage the success Leaf Metal would have had.

Regardless, this product still has Richardson, Blackmon, Griffin, Tannehill and others, as well as a large crop of pre-college autographs from the All American game, which means it will sell.

Check out some of the big cards that have hit so far:

2012 Leaf Metal Robert Griffin III Auto Refractor

2012 Leaf Metal LaMichael James Auto Green Refractor

2012 Leaf Metal Kellen Moore Auto Green Refractor

2012 Leaf Metal Trent Richardson Auto Refractor

2012 Leaf Metal Barry Sanders Jr Army Auto Refractor