Heisman Trophy: Where Does Cam Newton Rank Amongst Winners Since 2000?

Cam Newton of the Auburn Tigers had one of the best seasons in recent memory and was rewarded with the 2010 Heisman Trophy.

Despite all the allegations about Newton and his father receiving money to sign a letter of intent at Auburn, the NCAA has ruled that Cam had no knowledge of any wrongdoing.

So, Newton is innocent until proven guilty. That makes his Heisman Trophy campaign legitimate and impressive.

But, where does it rank amongst the winners of the Heisman Trophy since the 2000 season?

Here's a list of how the past ten winners (Reggie Bush not included) rank in comparison to each other.

10. Eric Crouch, QB, Nebraska

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3 Jan 2002: Quarterback Eric Crouch of Nebraska drops back to pass behind the blocking of teammate Terrell Butler #4 during the Rose Bowl National Championship game against Miami at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California. Miami won the game 37-14, winnin

Crouch, the option running QB from Nebraska, won the Heisman in 2001.

Passing Stats: 105 of 189, 1,510 yards, seven touchdowns

Rushing Stats: 1,115 yards, 18 touchdowns

Here's a fun fact from the 2001 Heisman Trophy voting: the top five vote-getters were all quarterbacks.

Here's the list:

1. Eric Crouch

2. Rex Grossman

3. Ken Dorsey

4. Joey Harrington

5. David Carr

This just goes to show that success in college does not guarantee success in the NFL.

9. Troy Smith, QB, Ohio State

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GLENDALE, AZ - JANUARY 08: Quarterback Troy Smith #10 of the Ohio State Buckeyes scrambles under pressure from Earl Everett #30 of the Florida Gators during the 2007 Tostitos BCS National Championship Game at the University of Phoenix Stadium on January

Smith took home the 2006 Heisman Trophy as a member of a Buckeyes team that made the BCS National Championship Game.

Passing Stats: 203 of 311, 2,542 yards, 30 touchdowns

Rushing Stats: 228 yards, one touchdown

Smith won the Heisman by the second-largest margin in Heisman Trophy history. Only O.J. Simpson received a higher percentage of votes.

But Smith's stats don't really jump off the page. His dominance in the voting in 2006 speaks more to the lack of breakout players in college football that year.

8. Mark Ingram, RB, Alabama

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TUSCALOOSA, AL - NOVEMBER 26: Mark Ingram #22 of the Alabama Crimson Tide rushes for a touchdown against the Auburn Tigers at Bryant-Denny Stadium on November 26, 2010 in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)

Ingram is the only non-quarterback to win the award in this millennium, taking home the award in 2009.

Rushing Stats: 1,658 yards, 17 touchdowns

Receiving Stats: 334 yards, three touchdowns

Ingram had a very good year by any standards you use, but some of the numbers that the quarterbacks on this list have put up are just amazing.

But it's good to see a running back win every now and then.

7. Matt Leinart, QB, USC

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PASADENA, CA - JANUARY 04: Quarterback Matt Leinart #11 of the USC Trojans looks for an open pass around the Texas Longhorns defense in the third quarter during the BCS National Championship Rose Bowl Game on January 4, 2006 in Pasadena, California. (Ph

Leinart was the second USC quarterback of the 2000s to win the award.

Passing Stats: 269 of 412, 3,322 yards, 33 touchdowns

Rushing Stats: minus-44 yards, three touchdowns

Leinart's yardage total wasn't as impressive as other quarterbacks on this list, but he still strung together a very good season for USC.

6. Carson Palmer, QB, USC

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LOS ANGELES - NOVEMBER 30: Carson Palmer, quarterback of the University of Southern California Trojans celebrates a touchdown in the second half against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish at the Los Angeles Coliseum on November 30, 2002 in Los Angeles, Califor

Palmer, the other USC quarterback on this list, won the Heisman in 2002.

Passing Stats: 309 of 489, 3,942 yards, 33 touchdowns

Rushing Stats: minus-122 yards, four touchdowns

Palmer edges out Leinart in terms of yardage, but they both threw for 33 touchdowns. But Palmer added one more rushing touchdown than Leinart, so we'll go ahead and say that's the tiebreaker.

5. Jason White, QB, Oklahoma

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WACO, TX - NOVEMBER 20: Quarterback Jason White #18 of the University of Oklahoma Sooners looks to pass against the Baylor University Bears on November 20, 2004 at Floyd Casey Stadium in Waco, Texas. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)

White didn't even get drafted into the NFL despite being a Heisman Trophy winner in 2003.

Passing Stats: 278 of 451, 3,846 yards, 40 touchdowns

Rushing Stats: minus-150 yards, one touchdown

White had the benefit of having Adrian Peterson in his backfield, but that doesn't make his numbers any less impressive.

We'll get to another Oklahoma QB later in this list.

4. Chris Weinke, QB, Florida State

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9 Oct 1999: Chris Weinke #16 of the Florida State Seminoles drops back to pass the ball during the game against the Miami Hurricanes at the Doak Campbell Stadium in Tallahassee, Florida. The Seminoles defeated the Hurricanes 31-21. Mandatory Credit: Andy

Weinke, at age 28, took home the 2000 Heisman Trophy to become the oldest player ever to win the award.

Passing Stats: 266 of 431, 4,167 yards, 33 touchdowns

Rushing Stats: minus-97, one touchdown

Weinke took a few years off from college in order to pursue a baseball career. After that didn't work out, he came to Florida State in order to pursue a football career.

He was one of the greatest college football quarterbacks ever to play, but didn't succeed in the NFL.

3. Cam Newton, QB, Auburn

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ATLANTA - DECEMBER 04: Quarterback Cam Newton #2 of the Auburn Tigers runs with the ball during the 2010 SEC Championship against the South Carolina Gamecocks at Georgia Dome on December 4, 2010 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Mike Zarrilli/Getty Images)

Cam Newton is the most recent winner of the Heisman Trophy, taking home the 2010 award on Saturday night.

Passing Stats: 165 of 246, 2,589 yards, 28 touchdowns

Rushing Stats: 1,409 yards, 20 touchdowns

Newton had a heck of a year in 2010. He led the Auburn Tigers to the BCS National Championship Game and put up number college football hadn't seen since 2007.

Speaking of 2007...

2. Tim Tebow, QB, Florida

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NEW ORLEANS - JANUARY 01: Quarterback Tim Tebow #15 of the Florida Gators throws a pass against the Cincinnati Bearcats during the Allstate Sugar Bowl at the Louisana Superdome on January 1, 2010 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty I

Tebow is one of the most popular players in college football history. He also put up some of the best numbers, winning the 2007 Heisman Trophy.

Passing Stats: 234 of 350, 3,286, 32 touchdowns

Rushing Stats: 895 yards, 23 touchdowns

Tebow edges Newton in this list because he ran for more touchdowns and threw for more touchdowns. Touchdowns are how offense should be measured and Tebow had more, so that's how you have to look at it.

1. Sam Bradford, QB, Oklahoma

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MIAMI - JANUARY 08: Quarterback Sam Bradford #14 of the Oklahoma Sooners looks on against the Florida Gators during the FedEx BCS National Championship game at Dolphin Stadium on January 8, 2009 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Marc Serota/Getty Images)

Sam Bradford won the 2008 Heisman Trophy by putting up the best passing numbers in the last 10 years.

Passing Stats: 328 of 483, 4,721 yards, 50 touchdowns

Rushing Stats: 47 yards, five touchdowns

Bradford accounted for 55 touchdowns in 2008. That's amazing. 50 touchdown passes is an astounding number as well.

Many will say it was the system he played in at Oklahoma that led to his success, but even if it did, he ran the system to perfection and deserves the top spot on this list.