Cam Newton: 15 Predictions About His NFL Career
Cam Newton put another dominant performance in the SEC Championship Game on Saturday, and with each week his draft stock keeps rising and rising.
It's only a matter of time before Newton makes it to the NFL. Whether it's this year or next, Newton will be in the league--but what's going to happen when he gets there? Inside are 15 predictions about his NFL career. Any thoughts or comments? Leave them below.
No. 15: Past Scandal Will Follow Him
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Like it or not, we're going to be hearing more about what happened before Cam Newton came to Auburn.
The NCAA's ruling was not the final nail in this soap opera and we're just going to keep hearing about it long after Newton has left the Tigers for the NFL. He'll have to answer questions about it and it's going to be big time news. That's just how the media is.
No one's going to like it. Casual fans will be sick of hearing about it, fans of his team will hate it as a distraction and Auburn fans just want it to die and rightfully so. But it won't go anywhere.
No. 14: Polarizing Figure
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Cam Newton will not be loved by everyone once he makes it to the NFL.
There are going to be some that love him and some that aren't fans of him. Just like Tim Tebow, some will adore him and some will just despise him. However, I feel like that will be the case even within his own team's fanbase.
He's going to just make plays that win people over and believe in him, while some of the plays he'll make will just frustrate fans to their wits' end.
No. 13: Madden Cover Athlete
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Cam Newton is going to make plays, and playmakers wind up on the cover of Madden.
I mean, if Vince Young can end up on the cover of the game, why can't Cam Newton? Newton will be a better passer than Young and I think he has a better mental makeup than Young. Newton will make an impact and make him a natural cover athlete.
Watch him play, it's like watching a video game sometimes.
.jpg?w=256 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
No. 12: Major NFL Promotion
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While Tim Tebow hasn't been promoted heavily by the NFL so far, he isn't nearly as ready for the next level as Cam Newton.
That's not to say that he'll be the day one starter, but he's going to have a better chance to play than Tebow did and you know that he'll be the face of whatever team drafts him. He's a highlight reel player and he's going to end up doing a lot for the league in terms of promotion.
There aren't many athletes like Newton and the NFL will take advantage of that.
No. 11: Jersey Sales
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Once Cam Newton is drafted, expect people to be grabbing up his jersey.
It's going to go flying off of the shelves and he's instantly going to become a fan favorite. Everyone's going to want to see him play and support him. It's going to be a big item for his fans at Auburn and the fans of the team he's drafted by.
People will be getting their number two jerseys out for every game day.
No. 10: Energized Teammates
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At the end of the SEC Championship Game, it was clear how much Cam Newton's teammates love playing with him.
As the game was counting down the final seconds, he was picked up on the shoulder of his teammates and paraded around a bit as the Tigers celebrated heading to the National Championship Game. He'll be loved in his next destination as well and it will put a buzz into that team.
Look what Sam Bradford did in St. Louis. One man can change the culture of a franchise.
No. 9: He'll Have A Better Career Than Jake Locker
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Jake Locker had a chance to be the top pick in last year's NFL Draft. This year? Not so much.
Locker's draft stock has plummeted over the past year and while he still may be taken ahead of Cam Newton in this year's Draft, it doesn't mean he'll have the better career. I think Newton will play better at the next level than Locker and will have more success when it's all said and done.
Then again, with these things, destination is everything. Just ask Alex Smith and Aaron Rodgers.
No. 8: Unrealistic Expectations
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With the way Cam Newton has played this year at Auburn, a lot of people are going to expect big things right away from the quarterback.
However, that's not realistic for most rookie quarterbacks. To expect a guy to come in from day one and put a team on his back isn't fair to him. Newton will make plays at the next level, but you have to be realistic with him if you're the team that drafts him.
Look for him to have growing pains but show you flashes of what he can do.
No. 7: He Won't Need High Profile Targets To Produce
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Cam Newton is the Auburn offense.
The Tigers aren't a bunch of bums on offense, but it's not like they're a loaded team. Auburn's offense is all about Newton and he's been producing without a lot of high-profile players around him. It will be the same thing at the next level.
He has the ability to raise the people up around him to another level and he'll do that in the NFL.
No. 6: He Won't Put Up Huge Stats
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Cam Newton is a statistical monster right now at the collegiate level, but at the pro level I don't see that happening.
I think Newton will be a much more productive version of Vince Young. The stats won't be mind blowing, but they'll be enough to get the job done. That will draw some criticism from people looking at the box score, but people who watch him will know why he's successful.
He just has that spark about him that shows you he doesn't need to put up huge numbers to win.
No. 5: Teams Will Pass On Him In The Draft
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Cam Newton isn't the top quarterback prospect if he declares for this year's Draft, but I think he'll get drafted lower than he should.
I think that teams will be scared off by some things they see in his mechanics. Some will foolishly be worried about some of the things that came out during his college days.
He'll make them pay after the fact.
There will be a few teams that regret not taking him when they had the chance.
No. 4: Unfair Comparisons
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People are going to try to paint Cam Newton into a corner when he first comes to the NFL.
He'll get comparisons to Michael Vick, to Donovan McNabb and to Vince Young, but he's none of those players. He's Cam Newton. Sure, he has bits of certain NFL QBs in him like Ben Roethlisberger and Josh Freeman, but people will expect him to be someone that he's not.
Newton will be his own player and he'll change things about the position.
No. 3: He'll Be A Project
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While Cam Newton certainly has great physical skills, he's going to need to work on some things at the next level.
Sometimes there are breakdowns in his mechanics, especially at the next level, and it will be best if he is mentored by a veteran NFL quarterback. I'm sure Newton could go on the field and play, but to get the most out of him, I think having him sit a season is for the best, even if it isn't popular with the fanbase.
It will be interesting to see what the plan is with Newton in the NFL.
No. 2: He'll Find Room To Run
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Cam Newton is big, strong, quick and will be able to run at the next level.
He's a better runner than Tim Tebow ever was at the college level and he's just a physical freak--that will always translate to the next level. The one thing he'll have to do is not to rely on his legs too much and read the coverage.
Once he does that, he's going to be a nightmare for opposing defenses.
No. 1: He Will Win Games
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The one thing I know Cam Newton will be able to do at the next level is win.
You just look at certain athletes and know that they have what it takes to win at any level against any competition. There's a killer instinct about them and they just take over games and make them their own and I see that in Newton.
The game tape from the Alabama game, especially in the second half is a testament to that. It was the Cam Newton show.
.jpg?w=480 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
