Why Cam Newton's Success Will Make Robert Griffin III the No. 1 Draft Pick

The days of the pocket passer may be over.

That is not to say that the Tom Bradys and Peyton Mannings of the football scene will be out of a job come next season. But a simple running presence from the signal caller adds an extra dimension to an offense that can make it all the more dangerous.

There is a premium, now, for quarterbacks with the ability to extend plays with their legs while still possessing the capacity to make all the throws.

A mobile quarterback is the modern quarterback. Gone are the days of signal callers who stand tall in the pocket and rarely leave the comfort of their big offensive linemen in front of them.

In the 2011 NFL Draft, Cam Newton was a consensus first-round pick, but hardly anyone expected the Carolina Panthers to select the Auburn via Blinn College via Florida product to become the top pick in the draft.

More than halfway through the season, Newton appears to be the front-runner for Rookie of the Year as his diverse game-breaking abilities has taken the Carolina quarterback position to new heights.

Balance forever has been a critical mantra for NFL offense, and Newton has all of that and more. Load the box to stop the run and he will chuck it deep. Drop into coverage and he will scramble for 20 yards or more.

The Next of His Kind

In a glance ahead to who could provide the same skill set as a top draft pick in the 2012 NFL Draft, look no further than Baylor's Robert Griffin III.

While Griffin is not nearly the physical specimen that Newton is—6-2, 220 against 6-5, 250—the Baylor quarterback has shown the ability to make accurate throws, both inside and outside the pocket, and may possess better electrifying speed with the ball in his hands.

Griffin has come down from the same stratosphere that brought us both Newton and Vince Young, a couple of college quarterbacks who flaunted unworldly athleticism, leadership and playmaking ability.

But what keeps both Newton and Young in the upper echelon of college quarterbacks is the glory of a National Championship, an achievement that Griffin may never accomplish.

Should He Stay or Should He Go

The junior Griffin has an incredible decision ahead of him. With a year left on his eligibility, Griffin could come back to Waco for his senior season in hopes of putting together a campaign that could further increase his draft stock.

Are there areas of his game on which we could improve? Or are his college days numbered?

NFL franchises are becoming enamored with quarterbacks who have the uncanny ability to make things happen with their legs. Newton's success with Carolina may have perpetuated that affinity as teams could be lining up to ink Griffin to a rookie contract.