Christian Ponder vs Cam Newton: Which QB Will Make Pro Bowl First?

Christian Ponder and Cam Newton will always be linked because of when they were drafted. The two young quarterbacks were each selected in the first round of the 2011 NFL Draft, and they will always be compared to one another when judging their progress.

When the Carolina Panthers made Newton the No. 1 pick in the draft, they took a huge risk on the signal-caller out of Auburn. While he was the 2010 Heisman Trophy winner, there were a lot of question marks surrounding Newton's ability and how his skills would translate at the next level.

Meanwhile, the Minnesota Vikings also took a risk on Ponder, drafting the Florida State product much higher than most experts predicted he would go.

Both quarterbacks now find themselves starting midway through their first NFL seasons, and while Ponder has more talent around him, Newton has shown himself to be already destined for stardom. The Panthers quarterback may not be Pro Bowl-ready yet, but between the two players, he is almost certain to reach that level first.

Through his first seven NFL games, Newton has accounted for a ridiculous 15 touchdowns. He is also on pace to shatter several rookie passing records. Though Ponder looked solid in his first start against the Green Bay Packers last week, he has a much longer road ahead of him than Newton does.

So far this year, Newton has completed 152 of 252 passes (60.3 percent) for 2,103 yards, with eight touchdowns and nine interceptions. He also leads the Panthers in rushing with 266 yards and seven touchdowns on 57 attempts. His ability as a dual-threat has made him extremely difficult to defend while adding an extra dimension to Carolina's offense.

Meanwhile, Ponder has appeared in two games and has completed 22 of 49 passes (44.9 percent) for 318 yards, with two touchdowns and two interceptions. The Vikings are extremely high on their young quarterback, but he still has a long way to go to prove he can be effective in the NFL.

After the year he has had so far, it would be foolish to pick another quarterback from the 2011 draft class to reach the Pro Bowl before Cam Newton. He will be the standard by which all the other quarterbacks drafted this year will be measured.