What Cam Newton Could Be

The Carolina Panthers selected Cam Newton with the first pick in the NFL draft. I've written about Newton several times on this blog. But today I'll say it was a good pick because even though there is probably a 50% chance he'll be a bust, he could be an all-time great like nothing we've ever seen.

Think of Payton Manning's game. He stands in the pocket and throws the ball. He has an adequate arm but really no mobility. He's tall, accurate and has a quick release. He's big and can take a hit but is never injured. But what really separates him is his work ethic.

Think of Micheal Vick's game. He moves around in the pocket and about half the time he throws outside the pocket but he's got a great arm...maybe better than Manning's. He's short for a QB and only about as big as a running back but he's one of the fastest guys in the NFL. He's borderline accurate and he does get injured from time to time. He makes about as many plays with his feet (whether avoiding the sack or running for yards) as he does with his arm. His work ethic has always been questionable.

Now what if you could take a big, tall quarterback like Payton Manning and give them Micheal Vick's speed and agility? If you take what Cam Newton did at Auburn, Guz Malzahn used him as a running back half the time. But in the NFL he is going to be a pocket passer. Mike Vick has to move around so he can see the open man, and when he moves outside the pocket he eliminates half the field to throw to. But Cam Newton is big and tall and can stay in the pocket. He's also got a great arm with pretty good accuracy to deliver the ball. When a play breaks down Manning throws it out of bounds, Cam Newton can run with the ball with speed and force. And he should be able to avoid injury due to his stature.

Bottom line, I think if Cam Newton puts in half the work Payton Manning does he could become an all-pro, maybe even a Hall of Famer. That's because he can be the full fruition of what a quarterback can be: stay in the pocket and look for the open receiver, and if there's nothing there then take off on the ground and pick up positive yards...and that could result in big plays at times.

JB