Cam Newton: Is Newton Really Worthy of Top Pick in 2011 NFL Draft?

Cam Newton is without a doubt the most polarizing figure in the 2011 NFL Draft. Depending on who you talk to (and whether or not the person you're talking to is from the state of Alabama), Newton is either the next burgeoning megastar in the NFL, a player with the potential to be Michael Vick or a potential bust in line with JaMarcus Russell or Ryan Leaf. 

But, for as much controversy as Newton can generate (and believe me, there's plenty), the general consensus is that the former Auburn quarterback/Heisman Trophy winner has an excellent chance of being the number one overall pick when the draft gets underway tonight. 

Given the controversy and debate surrounding Newton and his career at Auburn (as well as the jokes about how his salary is about to go down when he gets into the NFL), many have pondered whether the dynamic quarterback is worth a first-round pick. After all, he only has one year of starting in college football under his belt (junior college does not count, even if they won the national title), and he still has some growing to do. 

Is Newton worthy of the top pick in the draft? If this was only a question of on-field performance, there would be no debate whatsoever, and few could dispute that. 

No player who wasn't named Tim Tebow in the history of college football has ripped apart opposing defenses the way Cam Newton did last season. He showed the kind of arm that has had scouts drooling over him for years, as well as a flair for the thrilling in his runs. When he took off downfield, or dropped back to pass or even took a snap, you knew you might be watching something truly special. He's got the whole package physically: cannon for an arm, size, strength, elusiveness, explosiveness and a higher gear he kicks in when he needs it (like the Tigers' clash with LSU, which caused Verne Lundquist to lose his mind). 

You can't design a more perfect quarterback physically than Newton, and if this were just about his on-field skills, there would be no doubt that he'd go first over all and that he'd be plenty worthy of it. 

But, of course, it's never just about the on-field performance, is it? Newton's worthiness as a top pick is called into question because of "character concerns", and there are definitely concerns to be had. 

From stealing a laptop at Florida, to buying a paper to turn in, to the entire debacle with his father, Newton has his fair share of red flags. If that weren't enough, scouts have described him as "phony", "selfish" and having a "sense of entitlement". 

Therein lies the rub. In interviews Cam has done this season, you can see what they're talking about. When he speaks, it often doesn't seem like he's quite being himself, that he's hiding some piece of his personality. What he says is the right thing to say in that situation, but it feels like he's playing for the camera or giving us what we want to hear. 

Now, the question becomes: Do the phoniness, the personal troubles in the past, the poor leadership qualities cited so frequently by scouts and draftniks make Newton unworthy of the top pick in the draft? Does character count enough to punish Newton for a perceived lack of it? 

Full disclosure here: I'm not a Newton fan. I think he'll be a good quarterback in the NFL, and maybe a great one if a coach figures out how to use him, but the circumstances of his arrival at Auburn (why would Cecil hit up Mississippi State, Cam's first choice, for cash and not Auburn?) soured me to him. 

That being said, whether he'll be drafted first overall or not is almost a moot point in the NFL. If character was such a big deal, why does Pacman Jones, who beat the snot out of a stripper and left a bouncer paralyzed, have a job? 

As much as we want character to matter, as much as we want to say Newton doesn't deserve the first overall pick because of his off-field issues, when the rubber hits the road, there's a fantastic chance he is the first pick. Talent wins out over character in eight out of 10 cases, enough to make it the exception rather than the rule. 

So, whether you think he deserves the first pick or not, the fact is, Cam Newton will, in all likelihood, be the first pick in tonight's first round.

In the end, that will be all that matters. No one will look back and say "yeah, but he didn't deserve it," unless he turns into Leaf and Russell. All they'll remember is that he was the first pick. Once he is, the question will become unimportant, replaced by "Can he play?" as the quandry bandied about by fans everywhere. 

At that point, the questions of character will fade into the background again, and deserving or not, Newton will take the field.