NFL Draft Stock Update: Where Does Cam Newton Lie After Winning the Heisman?

As most of you already know by now, Cam Newton easily won the Heisman Trophy Saturday night.

Surprise.

Most people who have been following college football this season knew that, unless something drastic were to happen, Cam Newton would walk away with the Trophy when it was all over.

The question is, now, where is his draft stock right now?

Well, that's a bit of a complicated matter. On one side of things, there are a few negatives about Newton:

1.History: While the NCAA recruiting violations investigation did not end up implicating him, Newton has been caught cheating (multiple times) and stealing a laptop. It may not say something about his work ethic on the field, but it does say something about him as a person. Teams may not be willing to invest in a player who will get them in trouble.

2. Player Prototype History: Raise your hands if you remember who the last big ticket player like Cam Newton was. If you don't know who I'm referring to, I'm talking about everyone's favorite college star Vince Young who, as you all know, will soon be without a job. Will teams really be willing to give a Vince Young look-alike a fighting chance?

3. Play Style: Option quarterbacks are always a risk, because it is difficult to tell how good they would be in a traditional offense that doesn't essentially draw up play action fakes for every play.

There is also a lot to like about Cam Newton:

1. Heisman Winner: Well, this one is a given. Teams like guys who win the Heisman. It makes them think that they are safe in their investment, because the Heisman committee never gets it wrong... In all seriousness, though, the Heisman is a vote of confidence behind Newton, and that means good things for his draft stock.

2. His Arm: Much like Vince Young and JaMarcus Russell, Cam Newton could probably throw the ball 50-plus yards from his knees. The kid has a cannon for an arm and is also deadly accurate on most occasions.

3. Durability: The one thing you are guaranteed when drafting an option quarterback is that you are going to get a durable guy. For Cam Newton to escape a full season without injury after taking the kind of punishment he takes, you know that he has the potential to stand NFL level punishment.

When all is said and done, it seems to me like Newton's draft stock is on the rise, and fast. The Heisman is a big deal for him, and may place him in the same ranks as the three big quarterbacks of the 2011 Draft (Andrew Luck, Jake Locker and Ryan Mallett).

He has everything a coach would want physically in a player. The only questions will come down to him as a person. How well can he be coached? What kind of locker room influence is he? That's something that most teams likely have yet to find out and will be the final determining factor.

For now, though, Cam Newton may have broken into the top half of the first round.