Cam Newton: 10 Reasons His Workout Day Will Make Him 2011 NFL Draft No. 1 Pick
Had you told me after Andrew Luck returned to school that a quarterback would be selected No. 1 overall, I would have called you crazy. After all, Ryan Mallett and Jake Locker have huge issues that might knock them out of the first round entirely, Colin Kaepernick has only climbed into first-round discussion recently and Blaine Gabbert is overrated with a lot of bust potential.
As for Cameron Newton, I considered him the best option in a weak quarterback class. Earlier today, he held a workout for the media, which was described as amazing by pretty much everyone. Now, he has clearly turned into the best quarterback available, at least until the Combine.
Will this workout propel him to the first overall pick in the NFL draft? Absolutely, and if you're wondering why a workout without scouts would bump him up to that top spot, here's why:
10. Teams Love Taking a QB with the First Pick
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Over the past decade, teams seem to love taking quarterbacks with the first overall pick, whether it's clear or not that the quarterback should be taken there.
Since 1998, 10 of the 13 people selected with the first pick have been quarterbacks. Some have been great picks, while others have been busts.
Non-quarterbacks have had a better success rate in their careers, with two of the three being selected to a Pro Bowl. Only four of the 10 quarterbacks selected have the same honor. Despite these totals, the chances of a quarterback going first are very good just based on tradition.
9. Trent Dilfer
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Many analysts were there to watch Cam Newton during the media workout, and the one Cam Newton may have needed to win over the most was Trent Dilfer. A former Super Bowl champion, Dilfer was a quarterback for 14 years in the NFL, so he knows what it takes to be a quarterback in the NFL.
Dilfer said that Cam Newton was phenomenal in the workout, and he seemed blown away by watching him. That's a great sign going forward for Newton.
8. Great Accuracy
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Many of us knew heading towards the draft that accuracy was not one of Newton's issues. He again showed that great accuracy to the media in the Combine. He seems to know how to thread the needle when a defensive lineman gets in his face and was not really thrown off his game under pressure.
His strength and speed were also good in the Combine, so if anyone was worried about those qualities, he should have put them to rest by now.
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7. Questions Surround Other First Overall Possibilities
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A lot of people note that Cam Newton has things he needs to work on and use that to push him aside for the No. 1 pick. We can say the same thing about the other picks in the draft. Nick Fairley was great this year, but came out of nowhere this past year, and Da'Quan Bowers has that exact same situation.
That is technically true of Cam Newton as well; this was his first year at Auburn.
6. No Clear No. 1
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Going off of that, when Andrew Luck went back to school, there was no one to replace him as the clear No. 1 choice in the draft. Many names were thrown about, such as Fairley, Bowers, A.J. Green and Patrick Peterson, as well as a couple others if you sift through enough mock drafts.
Without that clear No. 1 to topple, it makes Newton's rise to that top spot much more realistic, as that is usually the hardest barrier to get past.
5. The Panthers Need a QB
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Jimmy Clausen is not the quarterback of the future for the Carolina Panthers. Very few people still believe that he will be and are outweighed by the slew of people who have already written him off as a bust.
The Panthers can either wait another year and grab Luck, Landry Jones (if he declares) or whoever, or they could grab Cam Newton now and see how it works. He can't be any worse than what they have now.
4. Created a Buzz
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To be a top pick in the NFL draft, half the battle is creating a buzz for yourself. Ndamukong Suh had a slew of buzz last year, as did Sam Bradford and Eric Berry. All five ended up being top five picks, and I remember being disappointed that Berry didn't fall to the Browns (though I'm more than happy with Joe Haden now).
Now that a buzz surrounds Newton, there's a possibility that he could be the No. 1 pick. Blaine Gabbert does not have that same buzz, despite a lot of pushing as the No. 1 quarterback, so no one has him going to the Panthers.
With the media workout over, this was a successful mission for Newton.
3. Improved Mechanics
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One of the big issues surrounding Newton is how well he can handle a real pro offense, as opposed to working from the shotgun all the time. For the most part, he did a great job in this drill. He had some missteps, but a lot fewer than most were probably expecting.
His footwork looked very good, and even when being pressure he was able to put a good amount of zip on his passes. Yes, one day can't tell you the whole story, but it showed that he at least has the ability to modify his game when needed.
2. Scouts Seem To Love Him
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There are reports going around that six teams have Cam Newton rated as the top prospect. Whether that's true or not is tough to say, particularly because teams are probably not going to have a true No. 1 until the Combine, if even then.
Nonetheless, beating out all the consensus top players, no matter what NFL personnel were involved, is something that Newton can ride to a possible first overall pick.
1. Has Plenty of Time To Climb the Ranks
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Sam Bradford was not handed the first overall pick without a fight; he had to contend with Jimmy Clausen and Ndamukong Suh.
Mario Williams did not easily get the first overall pick either; most presumed it would be Reggie Bush.
Andre Smith was considered the top prospect in 2009 until losing that honor after the Combine to Matthew Stafford.
The first overall pick is not necessarily the person you would have thought back in January. A lot changes in the months leading up to the draft. Cam Newton has laid the groundwork for a two-month rise in the ranks, and there's no question that he started off that climb perfectly. The only question now is how far up he'll go.
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