Cam Newton Should Win the Heisman Trophy and Go to the NFL

There is no better player in college football right now than Auburn quarterback, Cam Newton. Currently, Newton is surrounded by a firestorm of off-the-field controversy.

This week, Newton was accused of a laundry list of allegations. ESPN.com reported that a man who said he represented him was allegedly soliciting a six-figure payment to secure Newton's signature on a national letter of intent. When this story surfaced, Newton's past indiscretions—cheating on tests and stealing a laptop—were brought to the forefront again. Regardless of the allegations at hand, Newton is a gifted football player.

Despite the controversy, Newton led the Auburn Tigers on the field and was the catalyst in a victory over Georgia that clinched the SEC West. Newton became the eighth player to throw for 2,000 yards and rush for 1,000 yards in a season. Newton is the leading rusher in the SEC and leads an undefeated team that has a very good chance of playing for the national title.

Despite the numbers and super season, the latest speculation is that Newton will not win the Heisman. It is unclear whether or not he is guilty of all or any of the allegations, but the Heisman voters may be swayed for voting for someone else after the Reggie Bush fiasco. The latest odds to win the Heisman Trophy, as posted by online sportsbook BetMania, still have Newton listed as the favorite to win the award.

If Newton wins the SEC championship and finishes the year without a loss, there is no way the Heisman should go to anyone else. With all due respect to Andrew Luck and Kellen Moore, no one compares to Newton this year. It would be a travesty to the college football world and Newton if they were to give the hardware to another player.

While the high moral ground they are trying to stand on is appreciated, they would be hard pressed to isolate other winners that were not guilty of breaking the rules or even the law. I am not making any excuses for Newton, but he is innocent until proven guilty, and until that happens he should get the award.

Regardless of the outcome of the Heisman voting, Newton should move on to the NFL next year. While some draft experts think the controversy may hurt his draft stock, he may not have a choice. The off-the-field controversy will force him to the next level.  

Newton has all the physical attributes that any NFL team would want at the quarterback position. There is no doubt that he will need some polishing, but he has an NFL-type arm that teams will take a chance on.

The time is now for Cam Newton to jump to the next level and he should do it as a Heisman Trophy winner.

Matt Regaw is a B/R Featured Columnist and the founder of BookieBlitz.com, your one-stop shop for sports articles, previews and predictions. Feel free to contact Matt at [e-mail].