Cam Newton: Does Not Deserve to Be Drafted with the First Overall Pick

Peyton Manning, Troy Aikman and John Elway.

All three of those names are quarterbacks who had great college careers and were drafted with the first overall pick in the NFL draft.  All three had great NFL careers with 26 pro bowl selections and six super bowl victories combined.  One of them is in the hall of fame, another will be four years after retirement and the other you could make an argument for but that's for a different column.

In 1989 and 1998 (the year Aikman and Manning were drafted) if you needed a quarterback that was your guy.  There was no looking elsewhere at the quarterback position.  Even if you didn't need a quarterback you were still tempted to select them because you knew they were just that good.

In 1983, the year Elway was drafted you had Jim Kelly and Dan Marino, but neither were ranked higher and as impressive as Elway.  Jim Kelly was drafted after a quarterback named Todd Blackledge who played seven seasons in the NFL and finished with 29 touchdowns and 38 interceptions.  Dan Marino was more of an afterthought in the draft due to rumors of drug use and knee problems.  Five quarterbacks were drafted before him including, John Elway, Jim Kelly, Todd Blackledge, Ken O'Brien and Tony Eason.

Fast forward to the 2011 NFL draft and you had a unquestioned No. 1 overall pick with Andrew Luck until he decided to return for his junior year at Standford.

Now the most talked about player is Cam Newton.

Newton may just be the most athletic quarterback we've ever seen.  His 2010 season at Auburn will go down in history as one of the greatest single season performances ever.  Passing for 2,854 yards and 30 touchdowns is a great season in itself, but when you add 1,473 rushing yards and 20 rushing touchdowns and it's nothing short of remarkable.  The media agreed as Newton earned the AP Player of the year, Walter Camp award, Maxwell award, Davey O'Brien award, Manning award and the Heisman trophy.

All of those accomplishments are even more impressive when you throw in the fact he did it against the dominant SEC. 

Very impressive.  Newton dominated the NCAA the way nobody has before, but now you can throw all of those awards and numbers out the window.  They mean nothing anymore.  Now it's all about the NFL, can your game transfer to the big boy league?

Newton has outstanding arm strength and can throw the ball 50 yards down field without even setting his feet but isn't exactly accurate when throwing the deep ball.  He can throw accurate across his body but lacks consistency when throwing on the run.  

Newtons strongest trait is of course his mobility.  He is a fantastic runner, with great quickness and a second gear you would expect from most wide receivers.  With Newtons elusiveness in the pocket he'll be able to extend plays even against NFL defenses.

When Newton is drafted, he will be drafted as a quarterback and expected to run an NFL offense as a quarterback.  At Auburn, he was more of an extra running back and would slaughter defenses with the option, play action and the pistol offense.  Newton has never really played the quarterback position and that's where we may have a problem.  Majority of his passing success was due to the threat of him running the ball.

With the draft just a couple weeks away, the Carolina Panthers are sitting with the No. 1 pick.  Will they select the quarterback from Auburn?  They shouldn't.  The Panthers just spent a second round pick on Jimmy Clausen in last years draft.  Many draft boards had Clausen as the second best quarterback in the draft right behind rookie of the year Sam Bradford.  Clausen may not have had a season you want to brag about, but who did on the Carolina Panthers?  There is a reason they are holding the No. 1 pick.  If you give him something to work with and fix his offensive line which allowed him to be sacked 2.5 times a game maybe he'll do better.

Let's not forget about Newton's off the field issues as well.  Newton was arrested while attending the University of Florida for stealing lap top computers, which resulted in a suspension and him withdrawing from the school.  There is also the pay-for-play situation that I'm sure you've heard about.  Many people also question his football IQ and his dedication to the game of football.  Comments about being an icon and an entertainer has to make you wonder does he love the game or what the game can bring him.

With first overall picks getting ridiculous contracts over the past years, (Sam Bradford setting a record last year with a six-year, $78 million contract with $50 million guaranteed) you may want to make your selection wisely.

There is tons of upside to this young man and he could very well be a pro bowl quarterback, but whatever team he goes to will have to adjust to him, for him to be successful.  That's another problem. If you are going to be drafted with the first overall pick you should be able to succeed in any system you are put in.

No. 1 overall picks should not have so many question marks.  They should not be picked solely off of potential because sometimes you don't fulfill it.  No. 1 overall picks should not be so much of a risk.  You should be almost positive that your No. 1 overall pick will change your franchise for the next 10 years in a good way.  Not set your franchise back for the next five.  With Cam Newton nobody is sure.

Will he be the next Randall Cunningham, or Donovan McNabb? Or will he be the next Akili Smith, or JaMarcus Russell? I would pass and let another team take that risk.

The three quarterbacks in the beginning of this article were no doubt No. 1 overall picks.  Can't misses.  With Cam Newton, nobody knows.