5 Reasons Why Cam Newton Soon Will Be NFL MVP

In 2010, Cam Newton took the college football world by storm, winning a Heisman Trophy and leading his Auburn Tigers to a 14-0 record and a BCS National Championship game win over the Oregon Ducks. 

This all came on the heels of a successful stint in the NJCAA at Blinn College. Newton led the Blinn Buccaneers to a junior college national championship, passing for 2,833 yards and 22 touchdowns.

The No. 1 pick in the NFL Draft, Newton did not disappoint in his first season as a Carolina Panther, earning Rookie of the Year honors and breaking multiple records along the way.

These records include: Most passing yards by a rookie in a game (432); most passing yards by a rookie in a season (4,051); most touchdowns by a rookie (35 total, 21 pass, 14 rush); and most rushing yards by a rookie quarterback (706).

In addition, Newton became the the first rookie in NFL history to throw for 10 touchdowns and run for 10 touchdowns in a season and the first player in NFL history to throw for 4,000 yards in a season and record 10 rushing TDs.

When Michael Vick was drafted No. 1 overall by the Falcons in 2001, he added a new dimension to the quarterback position. Defenses now had to prepare for a dual-threat QB who could run the 40-yard dash in 4.33 seconds.

Newton is Vick 2.0.

Newton can not only run past defenders, he is capable over running them. The stats he put up in his rookie year show his versatility.

Newton is like nothing the league has ever seen. He will continue to improve, and it is only a matter of time before he is named the NFL's MVP.

Here are five reasons why.

He's a Physical Specimen

Cam Newton is 6'5", 245 pounds.

His sheer size would allow him to play any position on the field, but add to that a cannon arm and you have the best physical specimen to ever go under center.

Did I mention he ran a 4.58 40-yard dash at the combine?

Newton displayed his athletic ability multiple times during his rookie year.

The best example was his season-long run of 49 yards against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Newton faked the handoff to his running back and ran right down the center of the field. He demonstrated his breakaway speed as he left most of the Tampa Bay defenders in his dust. The only defender who had a chance to tackle him was dragged nearly five yards into the end zone.

Newton does his now-patented Superman celebration when he scores, and rightly so. He is the closest thing to Superman the NFL has ever seen.

He Will Become More Comfortable in the Panthers Offense

When Cam Newton picked up the Panthers' playbook last year it was the fourth offense he was learning in four years. As he told Sam Farmer of the Los Angeles Times:

"

It was very frustrating, especially during camp. I'm very hard on myself, and for me not to be able to pronounce the play in the huddle, and me looking bad in front of my teammates, I took it personal. I would go on my temper tantrums, but in the end it was best for me.

"

As Newton continues to get more comfortable in the offense, the more effective he will become. Last year his most glaring weakness was that he threw 17 interceptions with only a 60 percent completion percentage. With a better understanding of the offense, these numbers are sure to drop.

Newton set the record for rushing TDs by a QB last year with 17, while also passing for 21. Cam has the potential to improve tremendously on both those numbers.

A year with 15 rushing touchdowns and 30-plus passing touchdowns would surely earn Newton more than a few votes for MVP and is not unfathomable.

That is a double-double that would make even Kevin Love proud.

He Will Further Adjust to the Speed of the NFL

Like all rookie quarterbacks, Cam Newton looked shaky in the pocket at times and may have been quick to use his legs to escape pressure.

When you watch quarterbacks like Drew Brees, Peyton Manning, Tom Brady and even post-jail Michael Vick, they have a sense of calmness in the pocket—even with pressure in their face.

The SEC is widely considered to be college football's fastest conference, but it is nowhere near as fast as the NFL.

As the years go on, Newton will adjust to the speed that the NFL brings, and this will lead to more success on the stat sheet and in the Panthers' win column.

He's Durable and Has a Stable of Running Backs

Michael Vick was praised for his running ability when he came into the league, but many people doubted he would be able to hold up for long because of his risky playing style. When a QB leaves the pocket, he exposes himself to big hits.

It's hard for a 6'0'', 215-pound QB to take hits from defenders who are much bigger and stronger without sustaining injury. Vick has only played a full 16-game season once in his career.

Cam Newton will most likely not miss any time because of injury. His linebacker-like frame will keep him from sustaining injuries smaller quarterbacks may suffer.

Because of this, he will continue to play a full slate of games every year and will put up big numbers in them.

He also has a stable of running backs—in Jonathan Stewart, DeAngelo Williams and Mike Tolbert—who are more than capable to carrying some of the load.

If these backs can hit the open holes and make defenses pay attention to the running game, it will open up things downfield for Cam and his cannon arm.

Cam's Chemistry with His Receivers Will Improve

In 2011, Cam Newton almost single-handedly revived Steve Smith's career.

After a season in which Smith barely broke the 500-yard mark, he caught 79 passes for 1,394 yards and seven touchdowns in 2011 and made the Pro Bowl.

At 33 years old, Smith probably only has a couple of productive years left as the No. 1 receiver. However, Newton's chemistry with his younger receivers is developing rapidly.

Daniel Jeremiah of NFL.com reported Tuesday that Cam Newton has been developing a great rapport  with third-year receiver Brandon LaFell.

According to Jeremiah, Newton repeatedly hooked up with LaFell during every portion of practice. The young receiver was more fluid as a route-runner than he's been in the past and was attacking the ball in the air.

There is no disputing Smith's status as the No. 1 weapon in this passing game, but I expect LaFell to have a breakout season in 2012. He finished last season with 36 catches for 613 yards and three touchdowns. As long he stays healthy, I can see him approaching the 1,000-yard mark this year.

An addition to the receiving core this offseason was Louis Murphy from the Oakland Raiders. Murphy has shown flashes of brilliance in his four-year career, but he never fully developed into a solid option at wide receiver for the Raiders.

A change of scenery could revive Murphy's career. He only had 15 receptions for 241 yards last year.