Cam Newton vs. Terrelle Pryor: 5 Advantages Panthers QB Has over Buckeyes QB

On the surface, it appears that quarterbacks Cam Newton and Terrelle Pryor are two sides of the same coin. Both have mobility and monster arms, and both come with a host of conduct and character-related baggage that dogged them during their college careers.

However, for reasons both clear and not-so-clear, Newton has distinct advantages over the beleaguered Pryor. Let's investigate.

Cam Newton Has a Team and May Even End Up the Starter

Clearly, an advantage goes to Cam Newton simply because he was able to enter the draft and be picked No. 1 overall by the Carolina Panthers. Currently, Terrelle Pryor languishes in purgatory, not yet declared eligible for the supplemental draft, which is set for Wednesday..

While Pryor has asked for a face-to-face meeting with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell regarding his eligibility status, as of today, there has been no meeting scheduled between the two.

Meanwhile, Newton has been able to meet with his coaches, participate in practices and play in a preseason game, just like any other NFL rookie. This level of preparation is vital to any rookie player, and even more so for a quarterback.

His level of play, combined with a weak preseason performance by quarterback Jimmy Clausen, means that Newton may have the opportunity to be a starter this season.

If Pryor hopes to play this season, let alone start, preparation and practice are key. He's missed out, which means if he does end up in the NFL this season, he will probably spend the majority of his time on the bench.

Cam Newton Has a Better Arm Than Terrelle Pryor

It may be polarizing, it may be shocking and it might pain a few people, but I believe it's true: Cam Newton is a better quarterback than Terrelle Pryor.

Beyond leading his team to a BCS title in the 2010 season, Newton had a much better season last year than Pryor.

Let's start with passing:

Newton finished his season the No. 2 ranked college quarterback, with a passer rating of 182, compared to Pryor's No. 10 finish and a 157.9 rating.

While both threw for a similar number of yards (2,854 and 2,772, respectively) and a similar number of touchdowns (30 for Newton, 27 for Pryor), Cam's average completion yardage was greater at 10.2, compared to Pryor's 8.6.

Cam Newton Has Better Legs Than Terrelle Pryor

Mobility and rushing are where the Cam Newton and Terrelle Pryor are very dissimilar. While both rushed a significant amount for a quarterback, Newton made 264 attempts, racked up 1,473 rushing yards and scored 20 rushing touchdowns.

Pryor, on the other hand, earned 754 rushing yards in 135 attempts, scoring just four rushing touchdowns in 2010.

If statistics are any indicator of which quarterback is more skilled, then Cam Newton is clearly better at the game of football than Terrelle Pryor.

Terrelle Pryor's off-Field Issues Are Worse Than Cam Newton's

It is no secret that both Cam Newton and Terrelle Pryor have character issues and a history of poor off-field decision making.

Newton chose to leave the University of Florida in 2009 rather than face possible expulsion resulting from three allegations of academic fraud. Prior to the fraud allegations, Newton was suspended from the Gators as a result of his arrest in connection with his acquisition of a laptop computer stolen from a fellow student.

Then, allegations surfaced that Cam Newton's father, Cecil Newton Sr., solicited money beyond a scholarship while shopping his son's talents around the NCAA after Cam led Blinn College to an NJCAA national championship. Cam stated that he had no part of his dad's scheming, and after an investigation, was found to have done nothing untoward.

Terrelle Pryor's issues, in my opinion, speak more to what kind of a football player he is, and how he views his role in the game, than what Newton has been accused of.

In a severe misstep, Pryor, when discussing his fondness for Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Michael Vick, dismissed Vick's dogfighting conviction by stating that it wasn't a big deal, saying "everyone kills people."

Then, Pryor was forced to leave Ohio State after being found guilty of multiple NCAA violations stemming from selling approximately $20,000-40,000 worth of autographed merchandise, exchanging some of it for tattoos.

He was also investigated, along with the owner of a local auto dealership, for the purchase of up to eight cars at deeply, illegally discounted prices. These scandals also culminated in the resignation (or forced resignation, as it were) of his Ohio State coach, Jim Tressel.

Newton's indiscretions speak to him being young and immature rather than him exploiting his talent and position in life for personal gain.

Pryor, however, used his already-privileged status as a starting quarterback on a nationally-recognized team to bring him even more personal and financial gain, blatantly violating very clear NCAA rules.

For Pryor, being a star wasn't enough. It illustrates that simply playing high-level football wasn't his top priority; it was the what he could gain from that position that interested him more.

Cam Newton's Stock Keeps Rising; Terrelle Pryor's Continues to Fall

From the start of his college football career, Cam Newton had to work to get to the high level he has reached. At the University of Florida, he fought for, and won, the backup quarterback position behind Tim Tebow.

Despite an injury the following season, and his subsequent suspension from, and then leaving, the Gators, he was able to find a new home at Blinn College and lead them to a national title.

From there, he made the team in 2010 at Auburn as the starting quarterback, and led them to a BCS championship.

The Carolina Panthers then drafted him No. 1 overall, and he spent the lockout working out and learning the pro game for 12 hours a day at the IMG Institute in Florida.

And now that he's been having a stellar training camp and a bright preseason debut, football analysts are now focused solely on his talents and not what he did off the field as a college student.

In contrast, Terrelle Pryor joined Ohio State as one of the nation's top quarterback prospects. After a consistently good, but not great, college career, he was forced to leave in disgrace without leading his squad to a BCS title game, let alone winning it.

Because he wasn't eligible for the NFL Draft, Pryor chose to wait and enter the NFL's supplemental draft rather than signing with the CFL's Saskatchewan Roughriders, who had the league's negotating rights to the quarterback.

He made this decision without knowing if there would be an NFL season or a supplemental draft, but he sent a clear message—he is more interested in the right paycheck then a guaranteed shot to spend a season playing football.

Indeed, this is the biggest disadvantage Pryor has in comparison to Cam Newton or to any other active player in the NFL: He doesn't appear to prioritize playing the actual game of football. He appears, instead, to be interested in the things that go along with being a professional football player—money, fame and recognition.

It is true that Terrelle Pryor has the fame and recognition, but for all the wrong reasons. And now, he may not have the money or the job, either. And no matter what, that can't be said for Cam Newton.